Trauma
What is trauma?
Trauma is an event and/or series of events that is experienced by the person affected as life-threatening, or physically or emotionally harmful.
Who does it affect?
Trauma has no boundaries. It can affect anybody regardless of their age, gender, social status, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, or spirituality.
Effects of trauma
Many people may experience trauma(s) without lasting negative effects. While others may experience any of the following or combination of the following symptoms:
- Chronic physical pains
- Constant headaches or nausea
- Overwhelming sadness and/or fear
- Anger, feeling on edge, and/or lashing out without understanding why
- Hard time connecting with others, forming relationships
- Feeling helpless or hopeless
- Pulling away from others
- Difficulty adjusting to home or work life
- Excessive use of substances, including alcohol, marijuana, smoking cigarettes, or prescription medications
- Needing to keep busy, whether physically or mentally
Evidence-based treatments
The following are evidence-based treatments for trauma recovery:
- EMDR
- TF-CBT
- CBT
- CPT
- Prolonged Exposure