More About Trauma

Traumatic experience can take many forms, and one’s individual response to traumatic events is both uniquely varied and universally human. Trauma results from exposure to painful events such as physical and emotional abuse or neglect; sexual abuse and assault; dysfunctional families of origin, including chaotic home environments, difficult or unmarked transitions, mental illness in the family, or drug and alcohol addicted family members; as well as exposure to community violence or war. “Complex trauma” refers to multiple and repetitive exposure to these kinds of events, typically from an early age.

Trauma exists in all walks of life, across cultures and socioeconomic classes.  However, what heavily determines one’s response to traumatic events is the level of support that is present during and after the event occurs.

People who have been through traumatic experiences with insufficient support can exhibit varied symptoms, including a cluster of symptoms known as the diagnosis “PTSD” (post-traumatic stress disorder):

• Feelings of depression, hopelessness, despair
• Helplessness, powerlessness
• Flashbacks
• Chronic worry or persistent anxiety
• Anger and irritability
• Emotional dysregulation, volatility and overwhelm
• Panic attacks
• Memory difficulties
• Feeling “shut down” or emotionless
• Nightmares
• Hyper-vigilance
• Various physical symptoms such as chronic headaches, fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, etc.

Those who have experienced trauma may also exhibit particular emotional and behavioral patterns with or without classic PTSD symptoms, such as:

• Self-sabotaging behaviors
• Obsessive self-critique and unrealistic demands for perfection
• Hyper-responsibility and/or caretaking
• Low self esteem, self-doubt, feeling unworthy
• Difficulty sensing oneself and emotions
• Trouble creating and maintaining healthy boundaries
• Pervasive feelings of shame and guilt
• Sex, love, alcohol and drug addiction
• Abusive or codependent relationships