When I ask people what exactly “trauma” is, most describe a distressing event, such as a car accident or the loss of a loved one. As trauma has gone viral in pop psychology, I increasingly hear people characterizing their experiences as traumatic – and seeking treatment accordingly. Popular discourse about trauma has facilitated many survivors’ affirmation of their experiences, but the trend has also opened the door for many more people to label themselves as “traumatized.” But what exactly makes something traumatic? And is “trauma” an accurate descriptor of these experiences, or is it becoming a mere buzzword? (Gregory, 2023).
Trauma refers to the relationship between distressing events and one’s psychological reaction to them, which is highly influenced by how a person subjectively perceives the experience (Porges & Buzynski, n.d.).Two people can experience the same distressing event and only one might end up traumatized – because no two people experience events in the exact same way! In experiencing trauma, a person’s ability to cope with stress becomes overwhelmed, resulting in an intense psychological response that negatively impacts their daily functioning over a prolonged period. A person who has greater coping resources is less likely to come away from a distressing event with trauma.
But how do you know whether your coping resources have been overwhelmed? Every person reacts differently to trauma, but common experiences are a combination of intrusive, avoidant, intense, and negative shifts in thinking, emotion, and body that get in the way of daily living. When a person experiences all of these things for at least a month after a distressing event, they may be diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Some trauma survivors experience unwanted memories of the distressing event, sometimes to the point of reliving them in the moment, and some might have nightmares. Some may go great lengths to avoid reminders of the distressing event, including places, people, and activities. Many survivors experience depression, difficulty with memory, social isolation and detachment, a loss of interest in hobbies, and emotional numbness. Others are easily startled or irritable, or may engage in risky behaviours like dangerous driving.
Trauma can manifest in diverse ways – some categorize it into “big T” trauma and “little t” trauma (Newport Institute, n.d.), where big T trauma refers to acute events like a natural disaster or violent crime, and little t trauma refers to less physically threatening, chronic events such as social or professional rejection and relationship distress which may compound over time.
Trauma also appears intergenerationally as its physiological impact is passed down over generations. It can also appear in response to collectively experienced events, such as racial trauma from the ongoing impacts of colonization and white supremacy, or historical trauma such as the COVID-19 pandemic. (The word “historical” in this context refers to the impact of an event on an entire generation!) The key aspect is whether a person experiences a sense of overwhelm and helplessness in response to the event – the response is just as important as the event itself.
With a better understanding of trauma, you might be wondering what you can do to support yourself or a loved one who may be a survivor. The supports that will be most effective depend on how the trauma has impacted a person’s functioning, as well as their preferences and accessibility needs. Survivors have experienced a violation of their sense of safety in the world, and part of their healing journey involves reconnecting with ways of being in their bodies, in relationships, and in the world itself in a safe way. Certain medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs; WebMD Editorial Contributors, 2022) can help survivors self-regulate during the course of treatment. However, other interventions are often needed to support survivors in regulating their thoughts, emotions, bodies, and actions in the long term. These interventions can include talk therapy, eye moment desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, low energy neurofeedback systems (LENS) therapy, somatic therapy, and more (Solidarity Therapy, n.d-a,n.d.-b,n.d.-c,n.d.-d). Importantly, survivors are human, which means they require the support of loved ones and community to grow and thrive.
Interested in beginning your own healing journey, or have questions about how you can support a loved one? I offer free, 20-minute consultations to see if we’d be a good therapeutic fit. You can also check out the Solidarity Therapy website for resources and information, as well as to meet our other practitioners!
References
Gregory, A. A. (2023, January 10). Are you misusing the term “trauma?” Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/simplifying-complex-trauma/202301/are-you-misusing-the-term-trauma
Newport Institute. (n.d.). Big T vs. little t trauma in young adults: Is there a difference? https://www.newportinstitute.com/resources/mental-health/big-t-little-t-trauma/
Porges, S. & Buzynski, R. (n.d.). Polyvagal theory and trauma. National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine. https://www.nicabm.com/topic/polyvagal-theory-explained/
Solidarity Therapy. (n.d.-a). What is eye movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR)? https://www.solidaritytherapy.ca/healing-emdr
Solidarity Therapy. (n.d.-b). What is LENS neurofeedback and how does it help? https://www.solidaritytherapy.ca/healing-lens
Solidarity Therapy. (n.d.-c). What is somatic therapy? https://www.solidaritytherapy.ca/healing-somatictherapy
Solidarity Therapy. (n.d.-d). What is trauma-integrative therapy and how can it help? https://www.solidaritytherapy.ca/healing-trauma
WebMD Editorial Contributors. (2022, January 21). What are the treatments for PTSD? WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-are-treatments-for-posttraumatic-stress-disorder
Thank you for this informative and valuable read Ava!