Healthy Living
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What is trauma? Trauma is a deeply distressing or disturbing experience. However, there is nothing simple about trauma. There are three main types of traumas.
1. Acute Trauma. This type of trauma usually results from a single distressing event, such as an accident, assault, or natural disaster. The event is extreme enough to threaten the person’s emotional or physical security. If not addressed through medical help, it can affect the way a person thinks or behaves. Acute trauma generally presents itself in the form of excessive anxiety or panic, irritation, confusion, inability to have a restful sleep, and more. Studies show that a third of people involved in critical incidents have serious trauma, a third have moderate trauma, and a third have no trauma. Just because you feel no trauma or more trauma than others does not make your feelings wrong. You simply are coping with it in a different way.
2. Chronic Trauma. This trauma occurs when a person is exposed to multiple, long term or prolonged traumatic events over an extended period. Several events of acute trauma may progress into chronic trauma. The symptoms of chronic trauma often appear after a long time, even years after the event. Symptoms include unpredictable emotional outbursts, anxiety, extreme anger, flashbacks, fatigue, body aches, headaches, and nausea.
3. Complex Trauma. This type of trauma is a result of varied and multiple traumatic events or experiences. The events are generally in the context of an interpersonal relationship. It may give the person a feeling of being trapped. Complex trauma often has a severe impact on a person’s mind.
Whatever the type of trauma, if a person finds it difficult to recover from the distressing experiences, they must seek timely psychological help. A qualified phycologist can help the person with a traumatic experience live a fulfilling life. For more tips on trauma, visit www.compact2020.com or Facebook @Compact2020. †
