ABOUT TRAUMA

Trauma is a common experience most people will contend with throughout their lives (Khoddam, 2021). It is estimated that at least 90% of adults have experienced a trauma on at least one occasion (Khoddam, 2021).

So, what is trauma? Trauma is an emotional response to a horrific or disturbing event, such as witnessing a car crash, being raped, or experiencing war. Trauma can also occur from bullying, abuse, and neglect. Instead of processing the event immediately, sometimes shock and denial settle in with the goal of protecting us from the intensity of what occurred.

Over time, trauma can creep back into our lives making optimal functioning difficult, if not impossible. Trauma’s presence can be experienced in our physical, psychological, emotional, and cognitive selves. These responses are varied and are unique to each individual.

Despite its variety, there are common trauma symptoms. Some common trauma emotional symptoms include shame, sadness, hopelessness, fear, and anger. Trauma responses can also include suffering from nightmares, insomnia, difficulty in relationships and emotional instability.

Physically, our bodies also feel and harbor trauma. Our bodies can show us an underlying trauma through nausea, dizziness, sleeping difficulties, headaches, and gastrointestinal issues.

Many psychological diagnoses can trace their origins back to trauma. Some of these disorders include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, dissociative disorders and substance abuse disorders.

As one may expect, trauma can be uncomfortable, long-lasting, and disruptive to the joyful experiences of everyday life. What you may not expect is that trauma-informed therapy is an effective way to address your trauma and trauma symptoms. Here at Authenticity Counseling, our trauma-trained therapists are ready to journey with you on your healing journey.

Khoddam, R. (2021, March 3). How trauma affects the body: Learn how trauma affects the body and treatments to help you recover. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-addiction-connection/202103/how-trauma-affects-the-body