Understanding Trauma: Types, Causes, and Symptoms

(photo credit: Chuttersnap)

Psychological trauma can take many different forms. What feels traumatic for one person may not feel traumatic for another. This is because trauma is not defined only by the event itself, but also by how the experience affects a person internally. While many people associate trauma with extreme, life-threatening situations, trauma can also arise from experiences that create overwhelming fear, helplessness, shame, or emotional pain.

Here’s how we define trauma, what causes it, and how to recognize it.

What Is Psychological Trauma?

Psychological trauma happens after a person is unable to process experiencing or witnessing an upsetting event. When something deeply distressing happens, the body’s stress response (also known as the fight-or-flight response) is activated. This response is meant to protect us in dangerous situations, but when it becomes intense or prolonged, it can leave lasting emotional and physical effects.

Importantly, trauma is subjective. Two people may experience the same situation but respond to it differently. The emotional impact of the experience is what ultimately determines whether it becomes traumatic.

Types of Trauma

Trauma is often categorized based on how the traumatic experience occurs.

• Acute trauma results from a single, short-term event that triggers the body’s stress response. This might include experiences such as a car accident, physical assault, or natural disaster.
• Chronic trauma develops when someone is repeatedly exposed to stressful or harmful experiences over time. Situations such as ongoing bullying or living in an unsafe environment can lead to chronic trauma because the stress response is activated again and again.
• Complex trauma occurs when a person experiences multiple traumatic events, often within close relationships or over long periods of time. For example, repeated physical or emotional abuse within a relationship can create layers of traumatic experiences that build upon one another.
• Secondary trauma, also called vicarious trauma, happens when someone develops trauma-related symptoms after being exposed to another person’s traumatic experiences. This often occurs among therapists, medical professionals, first responders, and family members supporting someone who has experienced trauma.

Other Forms of Trauma

Some types of trauma are related to broader contexts or developmental stages.

• Childhood trauma refers to traumatic experiences that occur during early development. Because a child’s brain is still developing, these experiences can change the way a child grows and increase the risk of mental health challenges, like substance abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), later in life.
• Collective trauma occurs when large groups of people experience the same traumatic event, such as war or genocide.
• Generational trauma refers to the lasting effects of trauma passed down across generations, often connected to historical events like systemic oppression or colonialism.

Common Symptoms of Trauma

Trauma can affect both emotional and physical health. Common emotional symptoms include:

• Anger
• Irritability
• Mood swings
• Anxiety
• Guilt
• Shame
• Withdrawing from others
• Emotional numbness
• Sleep disturbances, like insomnia or nightmares
• Fatigue

Trauma can also affect the body through prolonged stress. Elevated stress hormones, such as cortisol, may contribute to long-term physical health issues, including heart problems or gastrointestinal issues.

What Experiences Can Cause Trauma?

Many different experiences can be traumatic. These may include physical, psychological, or sexual abuse, car or workplace accidents, serious illness, childbirth, physical assault, the sudden loss of a loved one, witnessing violence, natural disasters, and other life-threatening experiences.

However, trauma does not always involve obvious danger. Experiences that cause deep emotional pain or humiliation can also be traumatic, especially during childhood.

Healing From Trauma

Although trauma can have lasting effects, healing is possible. Trauma-focused therapy approaches can help people understand and process their experiences while developing healthier coping strategies. With the right support through trauma therapy, we can help you rebuild your sense of safety. Contact me today for a consultation and take the first step toward healing.