Trauma can be defined as anything that distresses and shocks the mind/body to disable a usual cognitive/emotional processing of events. Trauma is the body and minds 'normal' response to an abnormal situation or series of events. When something happens that is too painful for an individual to process, there is a psychological, physical and emotional reaction which attempts to minimise this distress. Trauma itself is completely unique to the individual as are the responses/effects. This makes empirical research difficult to measure because just as every situation is unique, so is the individual. This is why trauma therapy can take longer than other types. There can be uniformity in some aspects such as emotional regulation issues, and individuals usually developing a defence personality due to being in fight or flight mode consistently and this will affect their patterns of relating but interventions must be tailored to each individual. Please see below for a more general overview.
Types of Trauma:
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Complex PTSD
- Communal trauma
- Familial trauma
- Neglect
- Institutional trauma
- Work related trauma
- Emotional abandonment when young
- Betrayal Trauma
- Many others...
Things that may indicate someone is suffering from an unresolved Trauma:
- Defences and denial
- Feelings of shame
- Feelings of guilt
- Feelings of responsibility
- Anger
- Attachment issues
- Depression, anxiety, panic attacks
- Trust issues
- PTSD
- Personality disorders
- Dissociative disorders
- Psychotic episodes
- Suicidal ideation
- Suicide Attempts
- Physical health issues
- Somatic pain
- Eating disorders
- Self harm
- Complex PTSD
- Substance abuse
- Sleep disorders
- Chaotic lifestyles
- Relationship issues
- Issues with sexuality
- Aggression
- Domestic Violence
- Sexual Violence
- Use of defence mechanisms
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