What Is Trauma? Definition, Types, Effects, & How to Cope

What Is Trauma?

Trauma encompasses profound psychological and emotional distress triggered by a single event or a series of events. It overwhelms one’s coping mechanisms, leaving lasting effects on mental well-being. Whether stemming from accidents, abuse, or loss, trauma disrupts normal functioning, leading to feelings of fear, helplessness, and disconnection. Victims may experience symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, and difficulties with relationships and self-regulation.

Trauma encapsulates a broad spectrum of emotional reactions to distressing or life-threatening events. It extends beyond mere distress, encompassing a complex interplay of fear, helplessness, anger, and confusion. These deeply ingrained responses can persist long after the event, affecting various aspects of an individual’s functioning. Understanding the breadth of emotional reactions is crucial in addressing and supporting those impacted by trauma.

The effects of trauma have been widely studied and paired with adverse outcomes to emotional and physical health as well as affecting the development of attachment styles that influence the health and success of long-term relationships. Brown, developed an evidence-based approach to assist clinicians in evaluating the effect of trauma when assessing adult attachment.¹ This describes the far reaching effects of trauma on a person’s life.

What Are the Types of Trauma?

Traumatic events vary in severity and duration as well as other factors such as whether the trauma was experienced directly or indirectly.  While these factors can be described as varying types of trauma, the experience of trauma also varies based upon individual factors such as the age that the trauma occurred, characteristics of the victim, and the availability of supports.

Several types of trauma include the following:

Acute trauma: Acute trauma may be described as a one-time event which can vary from mild to severe. Examples include experiencing an acute injury, a natural disaster or a sudden loss,

Chronic trauma: Chronic trauma, on the other hand, involves prolonged exposure to distressing or harmful situations over an extended period. Examples include ongoing abuse, neglect, or living in a war zone.

Complex trauma: Complex trauma refers to exposure to multiple traumatic events, often of an interpersonal nature,  particularly during childhood or over an extended period. Unlike single-event trauma, complex trauma involves cumulative and pervasive harm, such as ongoing abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.

Secondary trauma: Secondary trauma is also known as “vicarious” trauma and is experienced second-hand by observing a traumatic event or helping victims of tragedy.  It is common in professionals such as therapists, first responders, or caregivers who regularly engage with trauma survivors. Symptoms may mirror those of primary trauma, including intrusive thoughts, emotional numbing, and heightened arousal.

Causes & Types of Traumatic Events

Trauma can stem from various events, including natural disasters like earthquakes, violence such as assault or terrorism, accidents like car crashes, or interpersonal abuse. What proves traumatic differs greatly from person to person, influenced by factors like resilience, support networks, and past experiences. Regardless of the event, trauma manifests through profound emotional and psychological distress, shaping individual responses and recovery journeys uniquely.

Events that could cause trauma include:

• Natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, or flooding
• Sexual or physical abuse
• Witnessing a crime
• Being the victim of a crime
• Intimate partner violence
• Severe poverty
• War
• Accident
• Death of a loved one
• Illness or injury
• Divorce
• Emotional abuse

Psychological & Emotional Effects of Trauma

Trauma may leave lasting psychological and emotional effects including various trauma disorders. Common reactions to traumatic events may include shock, denial, unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, strained relationships, and physical symptoms like headaches or nausea. “For instance, maltreatment in early childhood can alter the development of the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex, which are critical brain regions responsible for emotion regulation, memory, and cognitive functioning.”²Common psychological & emotional effects of trauma include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Nightmares
• Flashbacks
• Relationship difficulties
• Job or Educational Issues
• Family distress
• Mood swings
• Detachment or emotional numbness
• Phobias
• Hypervigilance
• Amnesia

Long-Term Consequences of Trauma

Unfortunately, trauma also brings the potential for long-term consequences, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety disorders, and other mental health issues. Trauma sufferers may not link some of the symptoms that they may be experiencing to their trauma, such as the link between trauma and addiction, however, an experienced clinician can help explore some of those links during therapy.

Some long-term consequences of trauma include:

• PTSP or C-PTSD (Complex-PTSD)
• Specific phobias
• Panic disorders
• Sleep disturbances
• Substance abuse and addiction
• Low sense of self-worth
• Somatic concerns: auto-immune, GI problems,
• Major depression
• Dissociation
• Trust issues

The Individual Nature of Trauma

Trauma describes a wide range of potential scenarios with a similar variety of potential consequences to the persons who suffer these events.  Individuals may vary in the ways they perceive and process their trauma based on their unique history, psychological profile, and degree of social support, among other factors.

Some individuals may experience a compounding effect of having withstood more than one traumatic event in their life. “Among men in the total sample, 14.5% reported two traumatic events, 9.5% reported three, 10.2% reported four or more, and 26.5% reported only one such event. Among women, 13.5% of the total sample reported two traumatic events, 5% reported three, 6.4% reported four or more, and 26.3% reported only one.”⁴ A study in Detroit found that “a history of two or more traumatic events involving assaultive violence in childhood was associated with a nearly fivefold greater risk that a traumatic event in adulthood would lead to PTSD.”³

Trauma in Different Populations

Trauma can manifest differently across various populations, such as children, veterans, or victims of domestic abuse. Some groups are significantly more likely to experience trauma and more chronic or repetitive types of trauma than others. In addition, social, cultural, and individual factors will affect the reaction to trauma and the type of support received.

Trauma presents differently in different populations such as:

Children

The manifestation of trauma in children depends on their age, temperament, and the nature of the event. Younger children might exhibit regressive behaviors such as bed-wetting, clinging to caregivers, or displaying excessive fear of separation. Older children and adolescents might demonstrate changes in mood, such as increased aggression or withdrawal, difficulty concentrating in school, avoidance of reminders of the trauma, or even engaging in risky behaviors. Additionally, some children may develop physical symptoms like stomachaches or headaches without any underlying medical cause.

Veterans

PTSD in military veterans with combat experience is common and veterans have increased susceptibility to depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. “The NVVRS also found that war zone stress, which included combat trauma and exposure to other traumatic events, was also significantly related to major depression, dysthymia, obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), GAD, alcohol use disorders, and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) for men. The majority (63%) of male veterans who had high levels of exposure to war zone stress met criteria for at least one mental disorder during their lives, and 41% had at least one current disorder at the time of assessment.”⁴

Victims of Domestic Abuse

Victims of domestic abuse are often subjected a chronic state of trauma with the associated complexities. Physically, survivors may experience chronic pain, headaches, gastrointestinal issues, or other stress-related ailments. Emotionally, they may struggle with feelings of fear, anxiety, depression, and shame. Survivors may also exhibit hypervigilance, intrusive memories or flashbacks of the abuse, nightmares, and severe emotional distress when exposed to triggers. Survivors might also engage in avoidance behaviors, or they may numb their emotions through substance abuse or other harmful coping mechanisms.

Treatment for Trauma

Treatment may include trauma therapy, medication, and support groups. Professional support can greatly aid the process of recovery, which can be different for each individual. Evidence-based approaches like trauma-informed therapy offer the best interventions for relief of trauma symptoms and long-term recovery.

Treatment options for trauma include:

• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): EMDR for PTSD involves bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements, taps, or sounds) while the individual recalls distressing memories, allowing for the processing and integration of traumatic experiences in a less emotionally distressing way.
• Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT): TF-CBT is specifically tailored for children and adolescents who have experienced trauma. It combines cognitive-behavioral techniques with trauma-specific interventions to address symptoms of PTSD, depression, and behavioral difficulties. TF-CBT typically involves psychoeducation, relaxation techniques, cognitive restructuring, and gradual exposure to traumatic memories.
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): DBT for PTSD focuses on developing distress tolerance skills, emotion regulation strategies, mindfulness techniques, and interpersonal effectiveness to help individuals cope with intense emotions and interpersonal difficulties resulting from trauma.
• Medications: Medications for trauma are often used as adjunctive treatment alongside psychotherapy for trauma-related disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. While therapy remains the primary approach for addressing trauma, medications can help alleviate specific symptoms. Examples would be medications to target the relief of depression or anxiety symptoms.

How to Cope With Trauma

Trauma symptoms can be challenging to cope with because it is natural to want to avoid bringing up distressing memories, however, healing from trauma is a means to a more peaceful and fulfilling life after traumatic events.

Ways to cope with trauma include:

• Journaling: Journaling for trauma may help because writing out the distressing information can be less intimidating than saying it out loud and also gives the victim the ability to look back and see how far they have progressed over time. Journaling can be an ideal way to process the shame that often accompanies trauma.
• Meditation: Learning to meditate is a means to calm the mind and nervous system of the meditator.  Meditation can be done in many different ways with many free or low cost resources such as books and meditation apps.
• Education: Learning more about trauma and its effects on other people may help the victim feel less alone and normalize the symptoms that they may be experiencing.
• Self Care:  Self care can be challenging in the best of circumstances. However, recovering from trauma can feel paralyzing.  Taking small steps to eat healthy, do mild exercise and focus on getting consistent sleep can help increase feelings of control and well being.
• Support: Confiding in loved ones is vital in anyone’s life. Trauma victims may tend to isolate themselves. Active outreach to loved ones or even online or in person support groups can make a big difference.

When to Seek Professional Help

Seeking professional help after experiencing trauma is recommended if the symptoms of the trauma are affecting your life in a negative manner.  If you are having trouble sleeping, working, handing daily tasks or struggling in your relationships due to traumatic memories, triggers, depression or anxiety it may be time to seek professional help.

Finding a therapist can be as easy as looking at an online therapist directory or online therapy platform for a therapist who specializes in trauma. Your therapist may recommend that you also consult a psychiatrist. There are online psychiatrist options  for finding trauma medication management, as well. You may also consider talking with your primary care doctor for a referral to trauma specialists.