Trauma & PTSD
Trauma is defined as a distressing event or traumatic life experience that can have a negative impact on a person's ability to cope and function. Trauma can affect our physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, and relational health if left unresolved. Trauma can be from a single event or multiple traumatic experiences.
Traumatic Events/Experiences can Include:
- Physical, sexual, mental, emotional, and/or psychological abuse by a loved one, a partner or spouse, a family member, or a stranger.
- Childhood abandonment, abuse and/or neglect.
- Combat/War
- Natural Disasters
- Domestic Violence
- Rape/Sexual Assault
- Catastrophic injury or illness
- Death of a loved one.
- Experiencing or witnessing emotionally life-changing events such as witnessing or being involved in an act of destruction, violence and/or death to others.
- Triggering life events such as affairs within a relationship, divorce, financial devastation, etc.
- Vicarious trauma experienced by first responders, soldiers/veterans.
- Historical and generational family systems issues, such as substance or sex addiction within the family, family secrets and shame, family loss, enmeshment and/or codependency within the family.
While not everyone who has experienced a traumatic event(s)may develop PTSD; there's a range of trauma-related symptoms that can impact a person’s quality of life and overall functioning. So, it is very important to reach out for support so that you can heal from the negative effects of trauma that you are experiencing.