Though we hear this term all the time, trauma’s a word that’s often misunderstood. Trauma can take many different forms and it’s not necessarily about what happened. But many believe it’s something that only those who have experienced terrible events like natural disasters or significant catastrophes have suffered. But it’s measured not by the event itself, but how you perceived it. To help you have a better understanding of trauma, I’ll discuss its definition and some of the several forms in this essay.
What is Trauma?
Trauma is fundamentally a reaction to something that exceeds your capacity for coping. It’s not only about the incident itself; two people could go through the same thing and one might become traumatized while the other doesn’t. That’s so because trauma is personal. It’s about how something caused you to feel helpless, terrified, or out of control. Long after the incident is passed, it might cause you to feel cut off from the world and yourself.
Trauma can impact your body as well as your psyche. You might find bodily symptoms include anxiety, trouble sleeping, or perhaps persistent pain. Trauma can linger in ways that affect your general feeling of safety, your relationships, and your health.
Different Varieties of Trauma
Trauma is not one-size-fits-all, hence understanding its several forms will help you make sense of your own or those of others you care about. Let’s dissect some of the primary forms.
1. Acute Trauma
When people hear the word “trauma,” most picture this. After a single, shocking or overwhelming event—such as an automobile accident, a natural disaster, or an attack—acute trauma results. It can knock you to your very core and is unexpected and overpowering. But as it’s a one-time occurrence, the effects are usually more immediate and intense.
2. Chronic Trauma
Experiencing upsetting occurrences over and again is known as chronic trauma. This may be anything, such as constant or repetitive physical, emotional, or even financial abuse. You might have suffered chronic trauma if you grew up in a home marked by ongoing instability or conflict. This form of trauma truly saps you over time.
3. Complex Trauma
Complex trauma is a big one, particularly in relation to childhood experiences. It usually entails multiple traumatic events, typically experienced in childhood, thus it resembles chronic trauma. Unlike chronic trauma though, complex trauma often results within interpersonal relationships whereby someone close—such as a parent or caregiver—inflicts the harm. Complex trauma can have long-lasting repercussions on your perception of yourself, how you manage relationships, and even how you negotiate the world. It’s so damaging because when you are a young child you’re often unable to flee a dangerous environment—like living with abusive or negligent caregivers. This kind of trauma often underlies many long-term mental, physical, and even spiritual health issues.
4. Developmental Trauma
Developmental trauma results from traumatic events occurring during pivotal phases of childhood. Developmental trauma can interfere with brain development, which can make it more difficult in later life to regulate emotions or create healthy bonds. As it influences your mental health as well as your physical and emotional growth, it thereby impacts all aspects of your development.
5. Secondary or Vicarious Trauma
Hearing about or witnessing someone else’s trauma can impact you even if you haven’t personally gone through it firsthand. Those in caring fields—such as therapists, doctors, first responders—often experience this. Sometimes referred to as “compassion fatigue,” it can leave you emotionally exhausted, as though the tragedy you’ve been exposed to has become your own.
Overt vs. Covert Trauma
Trauma can get really complex here. Some trauma is clear-cut; things like natural disasters, physical abuse, or auto accidents. We refer to this as overt trauma, as it’s very apparent and open.
But what about the trauma that’s invisible, that’s hidden from view? Though more subtle, covert trauma is equally as damaging. Covert trauma can result from emotional neglect, growing up in a highly critical household, or from parents who never affirmed your feelings. This type of trauma leaves a profound impact on your sense of self and well-being, even though it doesn’t show outward scars.
Because it defies the conventional wisdom on what trauma “should” look like, covert trauma can be more difficult to identify. Still, its harm is not lessened just because it’s less evident.
Why Does Trauma Affect People Differently?
Trauma does not effect everyone in the same manner. This is an important distinction to keep in mind. Two people could go through the same experience, yet their responses could be quite different. Why is that? Because context is everything. How one reacts to trauma depends in part on your past experiences, your support network, and even one’s DNA.
Some people might have good coping skills or a strong support system that facilitates a more rapid recovery. Others may struggle to heal, particularly if they’ve experienced trauma in the past. Trauma is individual; there is no “correct” response to it.
Wrapping it Up
Trauma can manifest itself in many different ways and is not always as clear-cut as we would think. It can affect every aspect of your life, from your physical health to your emotional well-being and your relationships, whether it’s a single incident or a sequence of events accumulating over time.
Knowing the several forms of trauma helps you to better support others who have gone through it or make sense of your own experiences. Recall that trauma is about the impact rather than only the occurrence itself. Should this piece speak to you, consider it as a reminder that recovery is achievable and that first step is acknowledging what you’ve been through.