EXPERIENCING ISSUES WITH
Trauma?
Trauma is a disturbing or distressing experience that overwhelms a person’s ability to cope and can have a significant impact on physical and mental health, relationships, and work performance.
Need immediate help?
If you or someone you know is in danger of hurting themselves or someone else — or if there’s any type of health emergency — please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
How trauma might show up
Trauma can be caused by a variety of events, including physical or sexual abuse, neglect, war, natural disasters, and accidents.
It can also be caused by witnessing traumatic events or by learning about traumatic events that happened to loved ones, bullying, racism, discrimination, neglect, chronic stress, or exposure to traumatic events.
Trauma can lead to a variety of mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use. Feelings can range from overwhelming stress to intense fear, horror, or helplessness.
Types of traumas include:
- Acute trauma caused by a single, intense event, such as a car accident, natural disaster, or violent assault
- Chronic trauma caused by repeated or long-term exposure to a stressful event, such as childhood abuse, domestic violence, or bullying
- Complex trauma, which is exposure to multiple traumatic events, often over a long period of time (and can be a combination of acute and chronic trauma)
Need immediate help?
If you or someone you know is in danger of hurting themselves or someone else — or if there’s any type of health emergency — please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Signs and symptoms of trauma can be both physical and emotional. Individuals can re-experience trauma through flashbacks, nightmares, and intrusive thoughts. They may avoid people, places, and things related to the trauma, and struggle with anxiety, sleep, guilt or shame, and focus. Additional physical symptoms may include headaches, stomach problems, and feeling tired all the time.
Learning about trauma and that you’re not alone are important first steps to coping with these challenges. A therapist can provide support and guidance as you health from trauma, as can support groups and group therapy.
Frequently asked questions about trauma
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If you know someone who has experience trauma, it is important to listen to them openly and without judgement. Believe what they are saying and let them know that their feelings are valid, and they are not alone. Offer support in ways that make sense, even something simple like getting food or going with them to an appointment. Encourage them to seek professional help if they are struggling to cope with their feelings.
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The effects of trauma can last a long time, and people’s experiences with trauma can be very different. Some things to consider about trauma are the type of trauma and how severe it was, how you were taught to cope or learned to cope, and what your support system is like. You are not alone in your trauma and treatment can help you start to feel better and live manage your trauma.