What we know about psychological trauma
What is trauma?
Drawing its meaning from the Greek word that means wound, psychological trauma refers to the emotional wound we experience in response to a distressing event. Such events stay with us, held in our psyche, and when activated, emerge in ways that might be overwhelming, distressing and debilitating.
Once seen as affecting mainly soldiers returning from war, it is now more well understood that most of us will experience some sort of trauma in our lifetime, if just in facing up to the fundamental givens of the human condition– be it grief, loss, disease, or death.
Experiences of trauma can tend towards the sudden and unpredictable. They threaten our sense of safety, and fill us with a sense of perpetual foreboding, or emerge unexpectedly in a dissociative episode when triggered. Common causes of traumatic events include sexual assault, physical violence, military combat, automobile accidents, and the sudden loss of love ones.
However, the severity of psychological trauma can be sad to be less about the events that happen to us, but rather how our mind and body might register what happened. It is not always tragedy, loss, or catastrophe that cause trauma, but even more mundane events like a passing comment on an already fragile psyche or an everyday altercation.
What are the types of trauma?
Like its complex origins, trauma also manifests in varying forms:
Acute trauma refers to intense distress experienced right after a single incident and the reaction lasts for a short period of time. Examples – post suicide attempts, sexual assault, car accident and robbery.
Complex trauma can arise from harmful events experienced as part of childhood or early stages of development. Some examples include child abuse, neglect or abandonment.
Repetitive trauma arises from experiencing traumatic events repeatedly over a period of time and is usually part of an interpersonal relationship, in which one might feel trapped emotionally or physically. Such traumatic events include verbal abuse, domestic violence, bullying, overly strict upbringing, emotional abuse, long-term misdiagnosis of a health condition and etc.
Vicarious/ secondary trauma can be developed when one is exposed to someone else’s suffering through listening or speaking about the person’s first hand experience. The listener can experience symptoms experienced by the person recounting the trauma.
Little t traumas are experiences on a personal level and are part of the everyday life. Examples might include losing a job, breakup or moving to a new house.
What can be done to heal trauma?
In general, physical wounds are more likely to be understood and validated by others, as they are apparent to our five senses. Unfortunately, psychological traumas are more often overlooked, with sufferers sometimes being disparaged for not being “tough” enough. Just as we would not judge a person with a broken leg as weak due to their inability to run, so to, the traumatized suffer not because they are “not tough” enough, but because they are wounded. To be told to “get over it” or to “forget about the past” inadvertently add to the emotional pain that the person is already been suffering from.
Just like a cut or scrape needs careful care and time to heal, a person experiencing psychological trauma needs time, space and concern from his/her loved ones. Sitting with and acknowledging the extent of the pain goes a long way in helping one find space, support and comfort – all integral aspects of healing.
Some trauma, like physical injuries, are more easily treated than others. They vary in severity and need. While self-help and the support of loved ones go a long way, there are times where they might not be enough. In such cases professional help is required. As a medical doctor might cast a broken bone, evidence-based interventions and psychotherapy with a qualified counsellor or psychotherapist can help heal deep-seated trauma, leading individuals to recover and regain a sense of life and well-being.
Our therapists
Jonathan
A counsellor, mindfulness teacher and psychotherapist, Jon takes an mindfulness-based existential approach to trauma. He has worked with clients to heal the wounds of their psyche and to live a more valued, purposeful life.
Lucy
Counsellor and psychotherapist. Lucy takes on attachment-based affective approach to trauma healing. She has works with clients to transform self-perception and to engage inner resources and to find authenticity in life.
