As we go through life some experiences give us growth, enlightenment, and push us beyond what we think we can achieve. However, dire events can occur that have a traumatic impact on our lives and how we function in our day to day living and the relationships that we build with others.
Traumatic experiences often involve a threat to life or safety, or can be any situation in which you find yourself overwhelmed even if it does not involve physical harm. It is not the facts of the situation that defines a traumatic experience, but rather the emotional experience you feel from the event. An event will most likely lead to trauma if: it happened quickly, you were unprepared for it, you felt powerless to prevent it, and it happened repeatedly or occurred in childhood. Trauma can result from a one time event or ongoing stressful events.
Not all potentially traumatic events result in lasting emotional or psychological affects. A number of risk factors can make one more likely to be traumatized by a stressful experience if they are under a great amount of stress or have recently suffered a series of losses. People are also more likely to be traumatized by a new situation if they have been traumatized before, especially if the initial trauma occurred during their childhood years.
Experience in childhood can have a long-lasting effect, and when not resolved the fear and helplessness felt in the adolescent years can carry over into adulthood, making one more susceptible for further trauma. Collaboration between the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Kaiser Permanente’s Appraisal Clinic resulted in a study that examined how negative childhood events can affect one’s health and well-being later into adulthood. The ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) Study investigated childhood experiences of abuse, neglect, and family dysfunction. Findings of this study suggest that experiences such as recurrent and severe physical and emotional abuse, sexual abuse, households with alcoholism or drug use, imprisoned family members, or the absence of both biological parents are among the leading cause of illness, death, and poor quality of life in the U.S. Adverse childhood experiences are common, and although they are typically concealed and unrecognized, these adverse experiences can have a profound effect many years later.
Symptoms of trauma can manifest itself physically as well as emotionally or psychologically. People experience or react to trauma in different ways and there is no right or wrong way to think, feel, or respond to a traumatic event. Some of the emotional or psychological symptoms include: shock, denial, or disbelief; anger, irritability, or mood swings; guilt, shame, or self-blame; feeling sad or hopeless, confusion, or difficulty concentrating, anxiety, and fear, withdrawing from others, and feeling disconnected or numb. Insomnia or nightmares, being startled easily, racing heartbeats, aches and pains, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, edginess and agitation, or muscle tensions can all be physical symptoms of trauma. Symptoms and feelings can typically last from a few days to a few months and gradually fade as one goes through the process of dealing with a traumatic experience.
Recovering from a traumatic event takes time and healing. However, if months have passed and you are experiencing any of the following you may need to seek help from a professional trauma expert:
Treatment to overcome traumatic events is a process, but is possible. There are a number of therapeutic approaches that can assist with working through the traumatic experiences and provide ways to deal with the effects of a trauma. Be patient with the pace of recovery. Avoid isolation, stay grounded, and taking care of your health are all ways that can assist you in your recovery process. For more information contact Gratiot County Community Mental Health at (989) 463-4971, or (800) 622-5583. You may also visit the Department of Veterans Affairs at http://www.ptsd.va.gov or the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies at http://www.istss.org