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learn more about trauma...
Trauma is an emotional and psychological response to distressing events or experiences that overwhelm an individual's ability to cope. Traumatic events involve any situation that threatens someone's safety and well-being. It can be about something that happens to us like violence and intentional harm. Trauma can also be about something that didn't happen when it should have, such as abandonment and neglect. Trauma is a subjective experience which means
an experience was traumatic because you say so.
People who have experienced trauma often struggle with everyday life things and areas that are most commonly affected by trauma include safety, sense of self, emotion regulation, relationships with others, and more.
Traumatic Experiences
Safety | Memory | Time
Intimate Partner Violence
Power | Control
Posttraumatic Stress
Prevalence | Factors
Trauma Responses
Fight | Flight | Freeze | Fawn
Sexual Assault
Violation | Self-blame | Silence
Posttraumatic Growth
Prevalence | Factors
Childhood Trauma
Physical/Sexual Abuse
Neglect
Complex Trauma
Exposure | Self-Development
Intergenerational Trauma
Epigenetics
Traumatic Experiences
Trauma can have profound effects on a person's sense of safety, memory, and perception of time. Let's explore:
Safety
Traumatic experiences often deeply impact a person's sense of safety and security. When someone goes through a traumatic event, their brain and body perceive a threat that overwhelms their ability to cope effectively. After the event, they may no longer feel safe and secure in the world. This can make them constantly on high alert, anticipating danger at any moment, even when there is no immediate danger.
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As a result of feeling unsafe, survivors of trauma may struggle with feelings of fear and anxiety. It can be very difficult to trust others. The trauma can also lead to an inaccurate perception of the world, making it difficult for them to tell the difference between past danger and present safety.
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Memory
Traumatic experiences can significantly impact memory processes. During a traumatic event, the brain's fight-or-flight response takes over, and stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol are released. These hormones can affect memory coding and recall. The result is a fragmented or disjointed memory of the traumatic event.
Survivors of trauma may experience vivid flashbacks or intrusive memories, where they feel as if they are reliving the traumatic experience in the present moment rather than just remembering. Others may struggle with memory gaps or times where they mentally disconnect from the traumatic event as a way of coping with overwhelming emotions.
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Time
Time perception can also be affected by trauma. During a traumatic event, people may experience time differently, where the event seems to pass in slow motion or speed up. This altered view of time can bring a sense of helplessness and powerlessness during and even after the traumatic experience.
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In the aftermath of trauma, survivors may struggle with a disrupted sense of time. They might not be able to remember a consistent timeline of events or may have new memories surface.
Trauma Responses
These responses are part of the body's natural defense mechanisms when faced with a threat or danger. They are rooted in our evolutionary history and protect us during potentially life-threatening situations. It's important to note that these responses are not conscious choices, but automatic reactions driven by the body's survival mechanisms. Let's explore each of these responses:
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Fight
The "fight" response is when a person's instinct is to confront and battle the perceived threat. When individuals experience trauma and the fight response activates, they may become aggressive, assertive, or confrontational. This reaction aims to increase their chances of survival by standing up to the threat and defending themselves or others.
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People may have this response when they feel cornered, trapped, or unable to escape from a dangerous situation. It can manifest as a sudden surge of anger or a strong urge to fight back against the source of the trauma.
Flight
The "flight" response is the instinct to escape or avoid the threat. When people experience trauma and the flight response activates, they may feel an overwhelming urge to run away or remove themselves from the danger. This reaction aims to protect from harm by seeking safety and distance.​
This response activates when the situation is perceived as too overwhelming or threatening to confront directly (fight). People may attempt to flee physically and run away. They may emotionally flee, too, as a way to escape the experience and disconnect from what is happening.
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Freeze
The "freeze" response is a state of immobilization or feeling stuck when a situation is threatening. When people experience trauma and the freeze response activates, they may become emotionally and physically paralyzed and unable to move, almost as if time has slowed down. This reaction is often referred to as playing dead because this response wants us to be uninteresting and ignored.​
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People may have this response when they feel helpless or unable to fight or escape. It can feel like being disconnected from reality or emotionally numb. It let's us survive and endure the traumatic event without putting ourselves in more danger.
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Fawn
The "fawn" response is less well-known but equally important. It attempts to appease or please the threat to stop or minimize harm. It is also used to avoid future harm. When people experience trauma and the fawn response activates, they may become overly compliant, self-sacrificing, or seek to soothe the source of the threat.
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It can lead to a learned behavior of prioritizing the needs of others over our own well-being. This gives us an illusion of safety so we may continue to survive. It is sometimes known as "keeping the peace."​
Complex Trauma
Complex trauma refers to prolonged exposure to overwhelming events, often starting in childhood and continuing into adulthood. Complex trauma can have a serious impact on the brain, particularly during important developmental stages. Experiencing trauma for long periods of time or repeatedly can shape brain structures and functions, leading to challenges in emotional regulation, memory processing, and the ability to form healthy attachments. Child abuse, domestic violence, and human trafficking are all considered complex trauma.
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Prolonged Exposure to Overwhelming Experiences
Complex trauma involves facing a series of distressing events that occur over an extended period. It usually begins in childhood and continues into adulthood. These experiences may include various forms of abuse, neglect, witnessing domestic violence, or living in unpredictable and unsafe environments. The accumulation of these painful events can leave individuals feeling constantly on edge and uncertain about their safety. The ongoing exposure to trauma disrupts their ability to relax and feel secure, leading to a state of chronic hyperarousal or hypervigilance.
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Impact on Self-Development
Complex trauma significantly affects a person's emotional and psychological growth, particularly when it happens during critical developmental stages. Children who experience complex trauma often lack consistent and nurturing caregivers, preventing them from forming secure attachments. As a consequence, they may feel unworthy and like they don't belong. As they grow into adulthood, the unresolved trauma may lead to challenges in self-esteem and self-identity, and they may feel persistently vulnerable. The impact on self-development can make it more difficult to regulate emotions, express themselves effectively, and form trusting relationships with others.
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Adaptive Coping and Challenges
In the face of overwhelming trauma, people develop coping mechanisms that help them get through difficult circumstances. These coping strategies are often adaptive and healthy. They were essential to survival during the traumatic experiences. For example, constantly being alert to potential threats, could have been a survival strategy in an unsafe environment. However, as adults, these may become less helpful and are no longer the way to deal with present stress in a healthy way.
Intimate Partner Violence
Intimate partner violence (also called domestic violence) often revolves around the dynamics of power and control within a close relationship. It is a pattern of abusive behaviors used by one partner to gain and maintain power and control over the other. Perpetrators of intimate partner violence may use various tactics, including physical and sexual violence, emotional manipulation, isolation, financial control, and threats to establish dominance and maintain control over their partner. The abusive behavior is not just limited to physical and sexual violence and often involves cruel manipulative forms of emotional and psychological abuse that deeply affect the survivor's well-being and self-esteem.
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The violence can feel like a cycle or recurring pattern that often happens in phases. This cycle typically includes a tension-building phase, where the person using violence becomes increasingly agitated and controlling. Arguments that escalate are common and survivors feel like they are walking on eggshells and try to keep the peace. This tension usually ends in an explosive and abusive incident of physical, emotional, and/or sexual violence. After the explosion there is a brief honeymoon or remorseful phase, where the person using violence may express remorse, apologize, and promise to change. This phase can include intimacy and positive attention which creates hope for the survivor. However, this period is short-lived, and tension begins to build again, continuing the cycle of violence.
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Survivors of interpersonal violence often respond to the abuse in different ways and each person's experience is unique. Many survivors endure the abuse silently, possibly feeling trapped and frightened due to the perpetrator's threats and/or the fear of retaliation. The trauma of intimate partner violence can leave survivors feeling helpless, confused, and isolated, with a diminished sense of self-worth. Some may develop coping mechanisms, such as dissociation or numbing emotions, to manage the overwhelming stress.
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Recognizing this cycle is crucial in the therapeutic process to help survivors understand the complexity of their experiences and develop strategies to break free from the cycle and establish safety.
Sexual Assault
Sexual assault refers to any unwanted sexual contact or activity without consent, or any form of sexual coercion. While other forms of violence and abuse can certainly cause physical and emotional trauma, sexual assault presents a unique combination of both. It is important to recognize the distinct aspects of a sexual assault experience related to fear, shame, guilt, anger, and numbness.
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Violation of Boundaries and Intimacy
Sexual assault is a profound violation of personal boundaries and intimacy. It targets a person's most intimate and private aspects—their body, sexuality, and personal autonomy. This violation can lead to complex emotions and challenges in reestablishing a sense of safety and trust in oneself and others.
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Impact on Self-Identity and Self-Blame
Survivors of sexual assault often struggle with particular aspects of self-identity and self-blame. Due to the intimate nature of sexual assault, survivors may grapple with feelings of guilt, shame, or self-doubt. They might question their actions leading up to the assault or blame themselves for the perpetrator's actions.
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Societal Stigma and Silence
Sexual assault carries a social stigma that is a barrier to seeking help. Survivors may fear judgment. Too often they aren't believed or are blamed by others which makes staying silent about their experience feel like the safest option. This silence can further isolate survivors and decrease their access to support and resources.
Childhood Trauma
These types of trauma can significantly affect a child's emotional, psychological, and physical well-being, shaping their perceptions of themselves and the world around them. If the trauma isn't healed, the effects often show up in adulthood. Let's explore common forms of childhood trauma:
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Physical Abuse
Childhood physical abuse involves intentional acts of violence or harm inflicted on a child by a parent, caregiver, or another significant adult. Physical abuse can create a sense of fear, powerlessness, and vulnerability in the child.
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Children who experience physical abuse may struggle with emotional regulation, experiencing frequent anxiety, anger, or depression. They may develop feelings of low self-worth and struggle with trusting others. The trauma can also impact their physical health, leading to stress-related conditions and an increased vulnerability to mental health disorders later in life.
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In adulthood, survivors of childhood physical abuse may struggle with establishing healthy boundaries in relationships, because the history of violence can lead to difficulty in trusting others. It also leads to a fear of vulnerability which impacts the ability to form secure and emotionally intimate connections.
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Sexual Abuse
Childhood sexual abuse involves any form of sexual exploitation, assault, or inappropriate behavior towards a child. Children cannot give informed consent. Sexual abuse is a deeply violating experience that can devastate a child's trust and sense of safety.
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Survivors of sexual abuse may experience a range of emotional and psychological difficulties, such as shame, guilt, self-blame, and difficulty forming healthy relationships. They may also struggle with body image issues and may engage in self-destructive behaviors as a coping mechanism.
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The effects of childhood sexual abuse can significantly impact adult survivors' ability to trust others and feel safe in intimate relationships, potentially leading to challenges with intimacy, communication, and difficulties in establishing healthy sexual boundaries.
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Neglect
Childhood neglect occurs when a child's basic physical or emotional needs are not properly met by their caregivers. The two forms are physical neglect (lack of food, clothing, shelter) and emotional neglect (lack of affection, attention, or nurturing).
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Neglect can intensely impact a child's sense of self-worth and security. Children who experience neglect may develop attachment issues, struggle with emotional regulation, and have difficulty forming trusting relationships with others.
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The lasting effects of childhood neglect can show up in adulthood as low self-esteem, a dominating sense of emptiness, and difficulties in regulating emotions. Survivors often find it difficult to form secure attachments in relationships and seek validation and love from others. A fear of abandonment and codependent behaviors are common.
Posttraumatic Stress
Posttraumatic stress (PTS) is a psychological response that can occur after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Symptoms can include intrusive memories, flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance of triggers, negative changes in mood, increased sensitivity to noise and touch, and emotional numbing.
The prevalence of posttraumatic stress is high with some studies reporting up to 60% of individuals exposed to trauma experience PTS symptoms.
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Certain factors may increase the likelihood of developing PTS after a traumatic event. These risk factors include the severity and intensity of the trauma, prior history of trauma, lack of social support, and coping mechanisms.
Posttraumatic Growth
Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is an adaptive psychological change that some people experience in the aftermath of trauma. It involves significant personal growth, increased resilience, and positive life changes, despite having experienced significant adversity.
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Research on posttraumatic growth has gained increasing attention in recent years. Studies have demonstrated that PTG is a possible outcome for some trauma survivors. However, it is not as common as posttraumatic stress (PTS). PTS is a more common response to trauma, affecting a significant proportion of trauma survivors.
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Several factors may influence the likelihood of experiencing posttraumatic growth. Some of these factors include strong support systems, access to resources, adaptive (healthy) coping strategies, processing of the trauma, and the meaning individuals assign to their traumatic experiences.​
Intergenerational Trauma
Intergenerational trauma is the passing of traumatic experiences and their emotional and psychological effects across generations within families or communities. In other words, the effects of trauma experienced by one generation influence the behavior, beliefs, and mental health of future generations, even if the future generations did not directly experience the original trauma.
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The interplay between intergenerational trauma and epigenetics suggests that traumatic experiences may leave biological imprints that can be transmitted across generations. Epigenetic changes resulting from trauma exposure can potentially influence the stress response systems and mental health outcomes in subsequent generations.
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Several things continue the passing from one generation to the next. They include parental behaviors, communication patterns, family dynamics, and DNA expression.