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What Is Trauma? (crisishouse.org) (source) of What is trauma
What is Trauma?
In America, trauma affects 60% of males and 50% of women at some point in their life. Twelve million individuals in the US suffer from PTSD every year.
Trauma Definition
Trauma is described as “an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape, or natural disaster” by the American Psychological Association (APA). Shock and denial are common short-term reactions, but “unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, strained relationships, and even physical symptoms like headaches or nausea” are examples of long-term reactions. These are typical reactions to unusual events.
Trauma is a very complex form of injury that can be brought on by a wide range of incidents or situations, and it commonly follows domestic abuse. Even if each person experiences trauma differently, some commonalities enable some classification. Three primary categories of trauma have been recognized by psychologists: acute, chronic, and complicated.
Common trauma symptoms can include:
- Flashbacks or intrusive memories of the traumatic event
- Nightmares about the event
- Avoidance of people, places, things, or situations that remind you of the event
- Feeling numb or disconnected from others
- Difficulty concentrating
- Irritability
- Hypervigilance
- Confusion
- Exhaustion
- Agitation
- Sadness
- Anxiety
- Dissociation
- Chronic pain
- Difficulty sleeping
- Angry outbursts
- Depression
- Substance abuse
- Self-harming behaviors
- Suicidal thoughts or attempts
- Believing the world is a dangerous place and that you can’t trust anyone
- Feeling unable to experience pleasure
Effects of Trauma
Trauma affects a person’s capacity to restore the mind to a peaceful state, activates alarm and alert systems in the brain, and overwhelms memory systems with excessive stimulus. Trauma may have a wide range of cascading effects, some of which include the following symptoms:
- Concentration problems
- Memory problems
- Psychological distress
- Physiological distress
- Relationship problems
- Social withdrawal
- Fear
- Sadness
- Feeling nervous, jumpy, or on high alert
- Irritability or anger
- Difficulty sleeping
- Intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, or nightmares
- Trouble feeling positive emotions
Types of trauma
( Types Of Trauma – The Trauma Practice )
Type 1 Trauma
Type 1 traumas are those that occur in a single encounter and are unanticipated. They are also known as acute trauma, shock, or large T trauma. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a disorder associated with large T trauma or Type 1 trauma.
Some instances of type 1 trauma might be:
- Severe illness or injury
- Violent assault
- Sexual assault
- Traumatic loss
- Mugging or robbery
- Being a victim of or witness to violence
- Witnessing a terrorist attack
- Witnessing a natural disaster
- Road accident
- Military combat incident
- Hospitalization
- Psychiatric hospitalization
- Childbirth
- Medical Trauma
- Post suicide attempt trauma
- Life-threatening illness or diagnosis or perceived life-threatening illness
Type 2 Trauma
Traumas of type two are more likely to occur repeatedly and over an extended period of time.
They may have been encountered during childhood in the context of a close attachment figure or in an interpersonal connection. You may have a stronger resemblance to complicated post-traumatic stress disorder and experience bodily or emotional imprisonment.
Some instances of type 2 trauma might be:
- Sibling abuse
- Childhood emotional abuse
- Domestic violence
- Emotional neglect and attachment trauma
- Abandonment
- Verbal abuse
- Coercion
- Domestic physical abuse
- Long-term misdiagnosis of a health problem
- Bullying at home at school or in a work setting
- Sexual abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Physical neglect
- Overly strict upbringing sometimes religious
Historical, Collective, or Intergenerational Trauma
The Jewish community’s experience of the Holocaust during World War II is the most well-known instance of communal, intergenerational trauma. Historical trauma may have a physical, emotional, and psychological impact on individuals or communities.
Adaptive coping strategies can be inherited by families, communities, and groups of individuals over generations.
- Racism
- Slavery
- Forcible removal from a family or community
- Genocide
- War
Vicarious or Secondary Trauma
Speaking with someone who has gone through or seen a tragedy firsthand might result in this kind of trauma. The listener may endure secondary trauma and exhibit the same symptoms as the one describing the trauma.
Little (t) Trauma
Little t trauma is less well-known and talked about less frequently. Little traumas are events that occur frequently and are anticipated to be a part of life. But they might be really distressing. Some examples may be:
- Loss of a loved one (not traumatic bereavement)
- Moving to a new house
- Losing a job
Trauma Disorders
- Acute Stress Disorder
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Complex‐PTSD
- Adjustment Disorders (often diagnosed as well)
Trauma Treatment
A psychiatrist, psychologist, or therapist are examples of a mental health expert who may address the impacts of trauma.
For trauma, psychotherapy, often known as talk therapy, is the main therapeutic option.
People with trauma can benefit from a variety of treatments that can help them manage their symptoms and live better lives.
Therapy
The primary line of treatment for trauma is therapy. A person should ideally work with a therapist who is trauma-informed or trauma-focused.
The following kinds of treatment might be helpful for a traumatized person:
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), individuals may modify their thought patterns to affect their emotions and actions
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing
Another popular trauma treatment is eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, or EMDR.
With the help of an EMDR therapist, patients briefly revisit particular traumatic events as their eye movements are guided. People can process and integrate traumatic experiences with the use of EMDR.
EMDR has been shown to be an effective treatment for PTSD in a number of randomized controlled trials (Trusted Source).
Somatic therapies
Some therapists assist the body and mind in processing trauma by using somatic, or body-based, approaches.
A variety of individuals may benefit from body-based treatments, according to a review of the evidence published in the Australian Psychotherapy and Counselling Journal.
Among these treatments are:
- Somatic experiencing: This approach involves a therapist helping a person to relive traumatic memories in a safe space.
- Sensorimotor psychotherapy: This type of therapy combines psychotherapy with body-based techniques to turn traumatic memories into sources of strength.
- Acupoint stimulation: This involves a practitioner applying pressure to specific points on the body, which induces a state of relaxation.
- Touch therapies: Other touch therapies include Reiki, healing touch, and therapeutic touch therapy.
Somatic treatments currently lack the same level of evidence supporting their efficacy as CBT and EDMR. More information on these techniques will help figure out how they operate, according to researchers.
Medications
While medication can help control symptoms like anxiety, sadness, and sleep difficulties, it cannot treat trauma or PTSD on its own. One should discuss their alternatives with their physician.
Self-care
Self-care techniques can assist people in managing the psychological, emotional, and physical aftereffects of trauma. Following are a few instances of trauma self-care:
Exercise
Anxiety can trigger the body’s fight-or-flight reaction. A little exercise could help lessen some of these symptoms. According to Research Trusted Source, aerobic exercise could be a useful kind of treatment for PTSD sufferers. On most days of the week, people should try to get in at least 30 minutes of activity each day.
Mindfulness
People can anchor themselves in the present by practicing mindful breathing and other mindfulness-based techniques, which can prevent them from replaying the horrific incident. Research (Reliable Source) indicates that mindfulness-based interventions, either used independently or in combination with other therapies, show promise as PTSD treatments.
Connection with others
Withdrawal from social interactions is a typical trauma symptom. But it’s crucial to maintain relationships with friends and family.
Maintaining social connections can assist in stopping trauma from turning into post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. If discussing the experience with others is too tough, it is not required. Just talking to people may lift your spirits and make you feel better. Some people find that talking to trusted others about their experience helps.
A balanced lifestyle
A traumatized individual might have trouble unwinding or getting a good night’s sleep. Nonetheless, nutrition, rest, and sleep all affect mental wellness. If at all feasible, one needs to attempt to:
- Sleep for 7–9 hours a night
- Eat a balanced diet
- Avoid alcohol and drugs
- Relieve stress with mindful or enjoyable activities
Support
In addition to professional support, many strategies can be used to cope with and overcome trauma. Talking and spending time with trusted friends and family members can be helpful. There are also support groups specifically for trauma. It also is important to maintain routines, eat regularly, exercise, get enough quality sleep, and avoid alcohol and drugs. 8 Stress plays a role in trauma, so stress management and relaxation can make a big difference.