What is Trauma? And When is it Time to Seek Support?

The area of trauma is an ever-changing field and much like so many other areas of health, as we learn more about the body and mind our understanding and definitions can change. I thought it would be valuable to discuss trauma as a whole and when we use the word “trauma” at Thrive, just what we are talking about.

WHAT IS TRAUMA?

Trauma is the psychological harm caused by the stress of having experienced or witnessed a distressing event. Such an event may present a perceived threat to a person’s safety or survival, or it cause the person to become so overwhelmed by the experience that they are unable to process it. The degree in which a traumatic event may impact one person to another varies. The same event can have little to no impact on one person but can cause a high level of distress in another. If trauma is left unresolved it can significantly impact a person’s daily functioning.

TYPES OF TRAUMA

At Thrive, we focus on 5 different types of trauma, as defined below. Sometimes these can overlap.

Acute trauma: Acute trauma involves a single incident such as a car accident, birth trauma, or natural disaster. The individual is exposed to the threat once.

Complex trauma: Complex trauma involves multiple incidents such as bullying, domestic violence or sexual abuse. The individual is exposed to the threat multiple times.

Developmental trauma: Developmental trauma relates to trauma experienced by young children and can have significant implications for a child’s growth and development. Developmental trauma includes neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse and family violence. The impact of trauma at this age is considerably harmful, as young children’s brains are still developing, and at a rapid rate. Trauma can cause development to slow down or be impaired, resulting in developmental delays. Developmental trauma usually occurs as a result of child abuse.

Attachment trauma: Attachment trauma is the result of a child having been separated from their primary caregiver or when a caregiver is the cause of ongoing stress for a child. Attachment trauma can be caused by situations such as; parental separation, postpartum depression or anxiety, a caregiver passing along trauma they haven’t processed yet or a caregiver objectifying a child’s body.

Vicarious trauma: Vicarious trauma is the result of witnessing or hearing of another person’s experience of trauma. It is most common amongst first responders and those in helping professions such as therapists and teachers.

Intergenerational trauma: Intergenerational trauma is the impact a traumatic experience has not only on one generation but also the next. This is a BIG topic with lots to unpack and beyond the scope of this post (more on this coming soon).

SYMPTOMS OF TRAUMA

Symptoms of trauma can manifest in the body in different ways and the symptoms and severity of symptoms can vary from person to person. Symptoms can be physical, cognitive, behavioural or emotional and can be experienced months or years after the event.

(Click arrows to expand list)

Physical Symptoms of Trauma

• Aches and pains

• Fatigue/exhaustion

• Being on “high alert”

• Easily startled

• Trouble sleeping

• Change in food intake (loss of appetite or binge eating)

Cognitive Symptoms of Trauma

Behavioural Symptoms of Trauma

Emotional Symptoms of Trauma

*List is not exhaustive

Many symptoms of trauma are normal in the short term and resolve within a number of months, particularly with support. Others may experience more long term effects that can develop into more serious conditions such as depression, anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or drug and alcohol addiction.

HELPFUL COPING STRATEGIES AFTER A TRAUMATIC EVENT

• Give yourself space and permission to feel all the emotions without judgement, this is a normal response to an abnormal event.

• Humour – it is perfectly okay to have a laugh.

• Share with others if feeling comfortable.

• Let friends and family know your needs, whether that be rest, time to talk, time alone etc.

• Practice some self care, whatever that looks like for you (i.e. a Netflix binge, a good book, exercise, a sleep in, meditation).

• Listen to music or a podcast.

• Write down your thoughts and feelings as a means of release.

• Ask for help if you need it.

• Ease back into your normal routine, this can help affirm safety.

• Use grounding techniques if you feel yourself becoming anxious, such as the 5 senses grounding technique (5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can touch, 2 things you can smell, 1 thing you can taste).

WHEN TO SEEK HELP

There are no hard and fast rules about being “eligible” for support. With support, symptoms are likely to resolve earlier and reduce the likelihood of symptoms becoming more intense and more frequent.

Most people will experience a traumatic event at some point in their lives, generally, it is expected that symptoms will ease or resolve within 4 – 8 weeks of a traumatic event.

Help should be sought if symptoms become persistent, worsen, become difficult to manage and/or begin to impact upon daily functioning.

At Thrive we specialise in supporting children who have experienced trauma and their families. Play Therapy is our primary therapy modality, offered in our therapy rooms in Hewett. If you believe your child may need extra support please reach out for a chat via email at hello@thrivetherapeuticplay.com.au or book a free 15 minute consultation call via our online bookings platform.

REFERENCES

Adelaide Trauma Centre (n.d.). What is trauma | Trauma Symptoms | Causes of trauma. [online] Adelaide Trauma Centre. Available at: http://adelaidetraumacentre.com.au/body-inclusive-trauma-therapy/what-is-trauma/ [Accessed 23 Aug. 2023].

American psychological association (2021). How to cope with traumatic stress. [online] Apa.org. Available at: https://www.apa.org/topics/trauma/stress. Australian Childhood Foundation ed., (2018). Making Space for Learning: Trauma Informed Practice in Schools. [online] Richmond, VIC: Australian Childhood Foundation, pp.1–76. Available at: https://australianchildhoodfoundation.crackerhq.com/pvl/9b20e31a6fa3c43f414af2fcb00f1a52/pdf/68027be0-b83e-497e-b1a9-1a91ce27ad22 [Accessed 17 Aug. 2023]. Australian Psychological Society (2023). Trauma | APS. [online] psychology.org.au. Available at: https://psychology.org.au/for-the-public/psychology-topics/trauma. Psych Central. (2022). Attachment Trauma: Effects, Examples, and How to Heal. [online] Available at: https://psychcentral.com/health/attachment-trauma. Thomas, L. (2019). What is trauma? [online] ACF Professionals. Available at: https://professionals.childhood.org.au/prosody/2019/03/what-is-trauma/.