Most individuals have experienced potentially traumatic events in their lifetime. Not everyone who lives through accidents, assaults, or conflict will need trauma-specific treatment. Factors such as natural resiliency, effective support systems, and learned coping skills can help. It is imperative, however, that everyone is aware of the potential impact of trauma on those they serve, mindful of how their policies and procedures may affect those who use their services and prepared to recognize and offer trauma-specific services when needed.
Trauma is the experience of violence and victimization including sexual abuse, physical abuse, severe neglect, loss, domestic violence and/or the witnessing of violence, terrorism or disasters. (NASMHPD, 2006) Research is showing that trauma can be experienced not only when someone has had direct contact with a threat or life-threatening situation, but also, indirect contact. Indirect contact often known as Secondary Traumatic Stress, can be from hearing of traumatic events repetitively (like a counselor or teacher who often interacts with multiple people having different traumatic events), hearing dramatic detailed accounts of an event (someone telling their story, or a newscast), or even being close to someone who has experienced a traumatic event. All of these direct and indirect experiences produce the same set of symptoms that we know as traumatic reactions.
Many mental health symptoms are commonly shared with trauma reactions. Often people will seek treatment of the troubling symptoms instead of treating the traumatic event. This can be a difficult and taxing feat, leaving the person feeling as if there is still something missing. Learning about the common effects/symptoms trauma has on the body can help people understand why they feel the way they do and seek proper support for their symptoms. Although the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV- Text Revision lists very specific criteria to be diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, research shows that stress, specifically types of traumatic stress described above, will produce the following symptoms. Often these symptoms will be delayed onset (typically 6 months to a year after the event) which makes it difficult to understand the relationship between the event and the symptoms. Most people state, “I was doing fine after, I thought there wasn’t anything wrong. I don’t know why I am now feeling this way.”
Sleeping Disturbances
Not being able to fall asleep, waking up through the night, or even sleeping too much, not wanting to get out of bed.
Appetite Disturbances
Feelings of being hungry and never feeling full, not having an appetite at all, or even overeating.
Trouble Focusing and Concentrating
Losing your train of thought, having difficulty listening to what people are saying and following through with tasks. This is one of the most common traumatic effects in children, often when children are stressed it is hard for them to participate in their lives and focus in their classroom or at home. In children, this is often diagnosed and treated as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Behavioral Outbursts
many people find it difficult to understand what they are going through and often will express this in anger and outbursts. Adults often do this with road rage. Their fear of lack of control related to the trauma will often be expressed in one of the most vulnerable states we place ourselves in each day, driving.
Traumatic Reminders
also known as a "trigger," is any person, situation, sensation, feeling, or thing that reminds an adult or child of a traumatic event. When faced with these reminders, an individual may re-experience the intense and disturbing feelings tied to the original trauma. This is one of the more common symptoms that often produce greater mental health and substance abuse problems.
Trauma is universal and can affect anyone at anytime. There are lots of ways to gain support; often times talking with friends/family is a great way to normalize these feelings. There are also support groups in the community, and comfort lines. If symptoms persist and become bothersome, seek professional care; call your doctor or a mental health professional and be sure to inform them of your experience.
Trauma-Specific Services
Trauma-specific interventions are designed specifically to address the consequences of trauma in the individual and to facilitate healing. Treatment programs generally recognize the following: