What Is Trauma?

Trauma is any injury, physically or emotionally inflicted upon a person. Trauma has both a medical and a psychiatric definition. For the purposes of this site, we will focus primarily upon psychological trauma and its effects.

What Is The Definition Of Trauma?

Emotional, or Psychological, Trauma is an intense, emotional reaction to a traumatic or severe situation. Trauma may be caused by stressful events such as natural disasters, incidences of abuse, assault, or death. Trauma can also be caused by more minor events, like a car accident or sports injuries.

A traumatic event involves a single event, or a repeating pattern of events that completely overwhelm an individual's ability to cope or integrate the emotions involved in that experience. That feeling of being overwhelmed can last days, weeks, even years as the person struggles to cope.

Trauma can be caused by a number of events, but there are a few common aspects. There's often a violation of the person's familiar ideas about the world and of their rights, which puts the person into a state of extreme confusion and insecurity.

Psychological trauma may be accompanied by physical trauma or exist independently.

Trauma, while often involving a threat to life or safety, can also involve any situation that leaves you feeling stressed or alone, even if it didn't involve physical harm. It's not the objective facts that determine if an event is traumatic, but the subjective emotional experience of the event. The more frightened and helpless you felt at the time, the more likely it is that you will feel traumatized afterwards.

A stressful event may be traumatic if any or all of these apply:

  • It was unexpected.
  • You felt powerless to prevent it
  • It happened over and over
  • It happened in childhood
  • You were unprepared
  • It was very cruel
  • You had an intense emotional reaction
  • You are unable to have emotions about the situation

Situations That May Cause Psychological Trauma:

There are many situations that have the potential to cause psychological trauma (although not every person exposed to the same stressors will develop a traumatic reaction). Here are a few of the known situations that can cause psychological trauma:

  • Sexual Abuse
  • Domestic Violence
  • Indoctrination
  • Children of Alcoholics (and addicts)
  • Long-term exposure to verbal abuse
  • Car Accidents
  • Natural disasters
  • Humiliating experiences
  • Fall or sports injury
  • Sudden, unexpected death of someone close
  • Diagnosis of life-threatening illness or disabling condition

Why Do Traumatic Responses Occur In Some People And Not Others?

Not all traumatic events lead to lasting emotional and psychological damage. Certain people rebound quickly from the most devastating of experiences, while others may be devastated by experiences that may seem superficially less upsetting.

Anyone can become traumatized - even those who work with trauma victims can develop symptoms of vicarious or secondary traumatization. Symptoms, no matter the precipitating event, should always be taken seriously and steps should be taken to heal from the trauma. Like other physical illnesses, the amount of time it takes to heal can vary wildly from one person to the next.

There's no clear-cut answer to why some traumatic events elicit emotional trauma for some, but there are likely contributing factors. A number of risk factors make people more susceptible to emotional psychological trauma. These are some of the contributing factors to developing lasting emotional and psychological damage:

  • Heavy stress
  • Prior losses, especially in childhood
  • Those who have recently experienced a number of losses
  • Poor coping skills
  • Substance abuse
  • Extreme conditions
  • Total devastation
  • Abuse

Symptoms of Emotional and Psychological Trauma:

Following a traumatic event - or repeated trauma - people react in many different ways, experiencing a wide array of physical and emotional reactions. It's important to remember that there's not a "right" or "wrong" way to respond to trauma, so don't judge your reactions against those of others. Your responses are normal reactions to abnormal events.

Symptoms and feelings following a trauma can last a few days to a few months and will gradually fade as the trauma is processed. Certain sights, sounds, images or situations may always remind you of the trauma.

After a traumatic event, a person may go through a number of emotions. Typical symptoms are broken down into categories.

Emotional and Psychological Symptoms of Trauma:

Physical Symptoms of Trauma:

  • Racing heartbeat
  • Numbness, withdrawing from people
  • Insomnia or nightmares
  • Muscle aches and pains
  • Sexual difficulties
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle tension

Problems Associated with Trauma

In addition to the initial trauma, symptoms do not always go away easily. It is not uncommon for someone to have recurring issues after trauma. These recurring issues, if not managed well, can cause additional trauma.

What Happens When Trauma Is Repeated and Sustained?

Repeated traumatic events can result in what is known as Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (it may also be called Disorders of Extreme Stress Not Otherwise Specified or DES-NOS).  Due to the difficulty in finding control groups to study those who have suffered multiple traumas and because most of those who suffer from Complex PTSD also qualify for diagnosis of PTSD, it has not been added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the DSM).  Information can be difficult to come by for this issue but even so, it is recognized by many medical professionals/therapists as a disorder linked to repeated or long-term incidences of trauma.

Complex PTSD differs from the typical PTSD because repeated traumas can cause the individual to question their own self-concept and can alter adaptive abilities.  According to the National Center for PTSD, symptoms may include:

  • Alterations in emotional regulation; may include persistent sadness, suicidal thoughts, explosive anger, or inhibited anger.
  • Alterations in consciousness; includes forgetting traumatic events, reliving traumatic events, or having episodes in which one feels detached from one's mental processes or body.
  • Changes in self-perception; may include helplessness, shame, guilt, stigma, and a sense of being completely different from other human beings.
  • Alterations in how the perpetrator is perceived. Examples include attributing total power to the perpetrator, becoming preoccupied with the relationship to the perpetrator, or preoccupied with revenge.
  • Alterations in relations with others. Examples include isolation, distrust, or a repeated search for a rescuer.
  • Changes in one's system of meanings; may include a loss of sustaining faith or a sense of hopelessness and despair.

Treatment for Trauma Disorders

Medications are prescribed to manage symptoms, often while undergoing cognitive-behavioral therapy, in treatment of trauma.  Additionally, some trauma survivors may choose to undergo hypnotherapy.  Two very successful and commonly used therapies are described below.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing - EMDR treatment is growing in popularity.  It has been shown to be highly effective in a short period of time and is typically less intrusive and disruptive than more traditional therapies (i.e. exposure therapy).  EMDR involves trauma processing with the help of a therapist who uses a machine that emits a combination of vibrations and beeping noises to stimulate parts of the brain that have been affected by trauma.

Exposure Therapy - Exposure therapy is a more widely-used treatment for trauma that focuses on desensitizing the individual to traumatic events through repeated exposure to feared objects or retelling of traumatic incidences.  This process is guided by a trained psychotherapist in a safe, controlled environment.

How Do I Help Myself Heal From Trauma?

Healing from traumatic events is not something that will happen overnight. It takes months, even years, to work through all of the feelings associated with trauma. In addition to a therapy plan, these are some things you can do to help yourself heal from a trauma.

Give yourself time to adjust - it's a difficult time in your life, so feel free to mourn your losses and be patient with yourself as you heal from your experiences.

Ask for help from people who love you and care about you - remember, though, that if those closest to you have experienced the same trauma, your support system may be weakened.

Talk about your experience - write for us, The Band. Keep a private journal. Talk to friends. Talk to a counselor. Just talk to others.

Participate in social activities, even if you don't want to. You may find that doing things that "normal people" who have not experienced the trauma do may inspire you.

Join a local support group for trauma survivors in your area - finding people who understand your feelings and feel like you do is invaluable. It can help you learn, grow, and heal from your trauma. If you cannot locate a local support group, see if you can find an online support group to join.

Healthy behaviors to manage stress are key - eat well. Drink lots of water. Get enough sleep. Meditate. Make sure to exercise.

Volunteer - while helping others, volunteering can be a great way to challenge the feelings of helplessness brought about by the trauma and remind you of your strengths.

Reestablish (or establish new) routines to restore some feelings of normalcy into your life.

Break larger jobs into smaller, more manageable tasks to take pleasure from accomplishing even the smallest of things.

Find and do activities that make you feel better while occupying your mind. That way, you're not dedicating all your time, energy and attention to the traumatic experience.

Allow yourself your feelings. Acknowledge them. Accept them. They are normal and must be accepted to heal.

Avoid major life decisions - moving across the country, changing jobs, buying a new car - without taking a time-out first to make sure this is a wise choice.

Avoid self-medication with drugs, alcohol or food. These can worsen symptoms and exacerbate feelings of depression, isolation and anxiety.

Reduce stress. Meditate. Do yoga. Spend time with friends. Enjoy a hobby. Anything that brings you joy.

How To Help Someone Else Deal With Emotional Trauma:

It's really hard to know how to help someone else who has suffered a traumatic, distressing experience. Your support, however, can be critical in their recovery. Here are some tips:

Be patient and understanding. There's no time-frame on recovery from trauma and healing cannot be rushed.

Don't judge. Remember that everyone's reaction to a trauma is different.

Offer practical support (housework help, getting groceries) to help your loved one get back into a normal routine. While dealing with a trauma, normal routines often go by the wayside.

Don't pressure your loved one into talking about it, but be there if they do want to talk. Some people who have been through traumatic experiences don't want to talk about it, while others may want to rehash the event over and over. They are both normal reactions.

Help your loved one to socialize and relax. Encourage physical exercise, activities that allow them to de-stress, and hobbies they enjoy. Make time each week to spend time with your friend.

Don't take it personally - some of the trauma symptoms can be hard for others to handle. When your loved one becomes angry, irritable, grouchy, distant or withdrawn, remember that this is a normal reaction to the trauma and not indicative of your relationship.

Related Resource Pages on Band Back Together:

Loss

Grief

Fear

Birth Trauma

PTSD

Natural disasters

Additional Resources For Trauma:

Tips for Recovering from Trauma: the American Psychological Association provides a simple sheet of tips for recovering from disasters and other traumatic events.

Emotional Trauma Overview - Brief overview of emotional and psychologicial trauma, as well information about healing from past traumas. 

Attachment and Trauma Network - Hope and Healing for Traumatized Children and Their Families. The nation’s oldest parent-led organization supporting families of traumatized children.

David Baldwin's Trauma Information Pages offers support for various traumas - psychological trauma, violent crime victims, veteran/combat trauma and many others.

The Survivor Manual provides a large collection of resources for those who have suffered from sexual trauma.