Many of us encounter traumatic situations in our lives that can leave lasting marks on our physical and psychological well-being. Understanding trauma and processing it appropriately are key factors when striving to build a stronger and healthier life.
Psychological trauma can occur when a person’s coping abilities are exceeded in a traumatic situation or prolonged stressful circumstances. Traumatic experiences can vary greatly between individuals, and what is traumatic for one person may not be traumatic for another. Traumatic experiences can be isolated, such as a sudden loss or accident (type I trauma), or long-term, such as prolonged abuse or violence (type II trauma).
Difficult life experiences can be seen as opportunities to learn about oneself and about life, but the claim that “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” does not always hold true. When life events exceed a person’s resources and coping skills, they can weaken one’s belief in their own ability to survive and their trust in life. Trauma can leave long-term effects on the functioning of both mind and body, and it may be connected, for example, to childhood trauma.
Different levels of trauma experience
Not all trauma requires that a person be the direct victim of an event. In fact, trauma can involve three types of experience:
- direct involvement,
- being an witness and
- hearing about traumatic events.
For example, if one family member repeatedly shares their traumatic experience and another family member is repeatedly exposed to the story, this too can become a traumatic experience.
Traumas are divided into two types:
– Type I traumas: These are usually related to single incidents in which a person is confronted with a major loss or threat, such as death.
– Type II traumas: These are often rooted in repeated and long-term experiences, such as prolonged childhood maltreatment or violence, including bullying or abuse, where the person has been left without support.
How does trauma manifest?
Trauma affects us in many different ways. It is normal to react strongly or even strangely to an abnormal situation. Immediately after a traumatic event, a person may feel numb, dazed, and confused. Their sense of time and place may become blurred and their attention span narrowed. Reactions can range from total paralysis to hyperactivity or panic. These reactions can vary from one person to another and may continue for several days or even weeks after the trauma.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious condition that can develop as a result of trauma. It may manifest as chronic tension, anxiety, nightmares, and avoidance behaviors. It is also common for there to be no clear memory of the traumatic experience, or for certain details to be remembered very vividly. In such cases, the traumatic symptoms do not resolve on their own and may even worsen over time.
Previous traumatic experiences can affect the likelihood of developing trauma symptoms. Approximately two-thirds of people who experience trauma do not develop symptoms and those who do often have type II trauma from childhood. However, the development of trauma symptoms can be effectively prevented by providing help and support as soon as possible after the event.
How does PTSD manifest?
If post-traumatic stress disorder develops, it mainly manifests in three ways:
• as chronic tension and hypervigilance
• as intrusive memories and images
• as avoidance behaviors
Intrusive memories occur when the mind repeatedly brings up the traumatic event in an attempt to process it. Fundamentally, this mechanism has evolved to help the survival of the species—it was important for humans not to repeat actions that put them in danger. Of course, this is exhausting, as no one could endure repeatedly reliving memories and images of situations that constantly trigger the body to prepare for the next threat.
Trauma also affects memory functioning. This can lead to emotions and bodily memories breaking through in a way that makes the experience feel as if it is happening in the “here and now.” A person may suddenly feel unable to distinguish between the present and the past. It is as if the brain’s processor is broken, which can feel strange and frightening. One of the goals of trauma therapy is to restore this “broken processor” to proper functioning.
“Avoidance takes several forms: avoiding emotions, avoiding thinking about the event, and avoiding certain activities.
Doing something may remind a person of the traumatic event, so they avoid doing it.
However, events must, to some extent, be processed; they cannot be suppressed indefinitely.”
Avoidance can, however, become a real problem. The mind’s “processor” tries to maintain balance by alternating between intrusive memories and avoidance. It is natural for a person to start avoiding memories and images at times, simply to protect themselves from constant processing and over-arousal. People want periods of peace and try to return to their normal lives.
If avoidance becomes too effective, however, it can create difficulties. Avoidance takes several forms: avoiding emotions, avoiding thinking about the event, and avoiding certain activities. Doing something may remind a person of the traumatic event, so they avoid it. Yet, events must be processed to some extent; they cannot be suppressed indefinitely.
How is trauma treated?
Early support and assistance after a trauma can help prevent the development of trauma-related symptoms. The goal of trauma therapy is to help a person process their trauma in its different stages and regain a sense of themselves. Recovery from trauma often unfolds in three phases, which also reflect very different experiences of the self: victim, survivor, and fully authentic achiever.
Treatment of Type I traumas usually progresses relatively quickly, whereas processing Type II traumas generally requires a longer period of work.
Self-help options for trauma are limited, and professional support is recommended for recovery. While it is possible to learn ways to ease the everyday burdens of stress on your own, working with actual traumas should be approached seriously. Otherwise, there is a risk that the trauma may deepen further.
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What are traumas?
- Trauma can involve three types of experience: direct involvement, being a witness, and hearing about traumatic events.
- Type I trauma is usually related to a single traumatic event, whereas type II trauma involves repeated and long-term situations, such as domestic violence or bullying.
- If post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops, it mainly manifests itself in three ways: (1) chronic tension and alertness, (2) intrusive memories and images, and (3) avoidance behavior.
- Avoidance of things that remind a person of the trauma can itself become a problem. Avoidance occurs because the mind’s “processor” tries to maintain balance by alternating between intrusive memories and avoidance. However, events must, to some extent, be processed; they cannot be suppressed indefinitely.
- Self-help options for trauma are limited, and professional support is recommended for recovery. The goal of trauma therapy is to help a person process their trauma in its different stages and regain a sense of themselves. Early support and assistance after a traumatic event can also help prevent the development of trauma-related symptoms.
About the author of this article
Katri Kanninen is Doctor of Psychology, experienced psychotherapist, psychotherapy trainer (CAT), and non-fiction writer.