What is Trauma?

 
 
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Trauma is the response to a distressing or disturbing event. The longer we live, the more inevitable it is that we will experience some kind of trauma.  Probably around a third of people have experienced some kind of traumatic event during their lifetimes, and around 70% of people who meet diagnostic criteria for a recognised mental health condition will have experienced trauma.  The number of people with a eating disorder who have experienced trauma is thought to be extremely high.

Trauma does not only result from a specific set of events or experiences, it can include any event, big or small that involves the loss (or perceived loss) of control, betrayal, abuse of power, helplessness, pain, confusion and/or loss. Even a seemingly small event can profoundly alter a persons emotional experiences, leaving them overwhelmed and unable to cope. 

Common symptoms of trauma can include:

  • sadness

  • anger

  • denial

  • fear

  • shame

  • nightmares

  • insomnia

  • difficulty with relationships

  • emotional outbursts

  • nausea

  • dizziness

  • altered sleep patterns

  • changes in appetite

  • headaches

  • gastrointestinal problems

  • PTSD

  • depression

  • anxiety

  • dissociative disorders

  • substance abuse problems

Types of Trauma

As mentioned above, trauma is defined by the experience of the survivor, rather than by the triggering event. However clinicians also refer to big ‘T’ traumas and small ‘t’ traumas.

Small ‘t’ traumas are experiences where one’s safety is not threatened, but where symptoms of trauma still result. Small ‘t’, does not mean that these events seen insignificant at the time, or that they are not profoundly powerful. The impact of small ‘t’ trauma should not be underestimated, however most people will find small ‘t’ traumas somewhat easier to overcome than big ‘T’ traumas. Examples of small ‘t’ traumas can include life changes like a new job or moving; relationship events like divorce, infidelity, or an upsetting personal conflict; life stressors like financial troubles or work stress; or experiences in childhood that caused fear, shame or distress.

Big ‘T’ traumas are less common experiences that bring about severe distress and helplessness. They may be one-time events like acts of terrorism, natural catastrophes, and sexual assault. Or, they may be prolonged stressors like war, child abuse, neglect or violence. They are much more difficult or even impossible to overlook, yet talking or thinking about them is often actively avoided.

What is a traumatic memory?

A traumatic memory is one that has not been properly processed. Traumatic or distressing events, when not properly processed, can result in memories becoming ‘stuck’ in a part of the brain that keeps these memories feeling very vivid and intense.  In PTSD, memories can be re-experienced as if they are happening in the present rather than the past, with associated images, smells, sounds and emotions all being as vivid as they were then. The associated level of distress of unprocessed memories can be very high, many years after the original traumatic event.

 
 
 
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