Understanding Trauma Part 1/3 – What is Emotion & Psychological Trauma?

Introduction

Many of us have had a traumatic experience where you have been confronted with an unexpected event, upsetting emotions, constant danger or freighting memories. When you have experience emotional trauma in your life you might feel numb, disconnected and unable to trust other people again. Trauma can have devastating effects on you and it takes time to heal and feel save again. But with the right treatment, self-help strategies and support one can have a speedy recovery. It does not matter what happened or when the event happened, you can heal and recover to your own self.

What is emotional trauma?

Emotional and Psychological Trauma is the result of extremely stressful events that damages your sense of security, self-confidence and make you feel powerless, helpless and vulnerable in an unstable and dangerous world.
Traumatic experiences is a lot of times associated with life threatening situations or when your safety is compromised, but situations that leave you feeling overwhelmed and stressed can also lead to emotional or psychological trauma, trauma many times does not involve physical harm.
Trauma is about the experience you go through and al depending on the severity or extent of the incident will determine the results and how one will cope with it.

Causes of Emotional Trauma:

• An event will most likely lead to emotional or psychological trauma if:
• It happened unexpectedly
• It happened Repeatedly
• It happened in your childhood
• You were unprepared for it
• You felt powerless
• Someone treated you unfear or cruelly

Emotional and psychological trauma can happen in a single-blow, one-time event, such as a horrible car accident, natural disasters, being a victim of rape, crime or a violent attack. Trauma can also stem from ongoing stress and anxiety for example living in a dangerous crime driven neighbourhood or the reality of a terminal illness like cancer not only for the person who suffers from the illness but can also traumatize the loved ones involved.

Some overlooked causes of emotional and psychological trauma:

• Car accidents
• Surgery (especially in the first 3 years of life)
• Sudden death of a loved one
• Divorce, or a breakup of a significant loved one
• Disappointment or failure
• Discovery of a life-threatening illness or becoming disabled
• Sport injury

Factors that can increase your vulnerability towards Emotional and psychological Trauma:
Many people go through traumatic events but they are able to quickly recover and not let the trauma affect them. This all depends on your past experiences, personality and outlook on life.
People are more vulnerable to trauma when they are under a lot of continual stress, experiencing a grieving period or suffered trauma in the past. All these can be trigger points to future events and that is why it is important to deal with past traumas and ensure you recover emotionally and psychologically.
Another important factor that makes vulnerable to future events is your childhood. Negative memories, experiences and events from childhood can be massive trigger points in your adult life. We call these childhood wounds and these need to be dealt with and be healed.

Childhood trauma results from anything that disrupts a child’s safety, trust and security.

Here are some examples:

• Serious illness or operations
• Sexual, physical or verbal abuse
• An unstable or unsafe environment
• Separation from a parent
• Domestic violence
• Neglect
• Bullying

This article is written to firstly inform people of trauma, so that they can identify themselves and make sure they act before it is too late. Maybe you can help a child or a loved one by identifying these facts of emotional and psychological trauma.