Understanding Trauma
Written By: Marissa Halstead
Many people experience events that can be described as traumatic. Trauma occurs when a person’s brain, body, and nervous system respond to an overwhelming—and often harmful—experience in a way that exceeds their ability to cope. As a result, trauma can involve both physical and emotional responses, and, consequently, it can affect nearly every aspect of a person’s well-being. Furthermore, these effects may continue long after the traumatic experience itself has ended.
One of my favorite definitions of trauma comes from Adam Young:
“The essence of trauma is helplessness combined with abandonment by potentially protective caregivers.”
There are three main types of trauma: acute, chronic, and complex. In this blog, I’ll focus on acute and chronic trauma. I’ll save complex trauma for a future post because it deserves a deeper discussion.
Acute Trauma
Acute trauma is an intense emotional and physical response to a single distressing event. Examples include a serious car accident, physical assault, natural disaster, or the sudden loss of a loved one.
Common reactions may include:
- Fear or shock
- Nightmares or flashbacks
- An increased heart rate
- Feeling easily startled
- Avoidance of reminders associated with the event
For many people, these reactions gradually lessen over the course of several weeks. However, if symptoms persist for more than a month and continue to interfere with daily life, they may meet the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
I experienced something in my own life that could be described as acute trauma. During my senior year of college, a man attempted to break into our apartment. No one was physically harmed, and we safely resolved the situation. Even so, for several weeks afterward, I startled easily and felt terrified walking alone to our apartment parking lot. Looking back, I can see that my nervous system was working to recover from the trauma of that frightening experience.
Chronic Trauma
Chronic trauma develops after prolonged or repeated exposure to traumatic situations. Rather than resulting from a single event, it stems from ongoing experiences that repeatedly overwhelm a person’s ability to cope.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Domestic violence
- Childhood neglect or abuse
- Exposure to war or ongoing violence
- Living with a chronic or life-threatening illness
People experiencing chronic trauma may struggle with symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, emotional numbness, hypervigilance, difficulty trusting others, and persistent anxiety. When these symptoms continue for more than six months and significantly impact daily functioning, a mental health professional may evaluate for PTSD or other trauma-related conditions.
Healing Is Possible
The encouraging news is that trauma can be processed and healed. Healing takes time, support, and intentional work, but recovery is possible. One evidence-based approach is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, which has been extensively researched and has helped many people process traumatic experiences and reduce distressing symptoms.
If you’re reading this and thinking, “This sounds like me,” know that you don’t have to navigate it alone. I would be honored to walk alongside you through EMDR therapy and help you move toward healing, greater freedom, and a more fulfilling life.
In my next blog, I’ll explore complex trauma in more depth. It deserves its own conversation because, as the name suggests, it is exactly that—complex.
