Trauma results from exposure to an incident or series of events that are emotionally disturbing or life-threatening with lasting adversen effects on an individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, and/or spiritual well-being. Immediately after the event, shock and denial are typical. Longer term reactions include unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, strained relationships and even physical symptoms like headaches or nausea. Trauma oftens leads to issues in the area of social-emotional behavioral health.
Three Types of Trauma
- Acute trauma results from a single incident.
- Chronic trauma is repeated and prolonged such as domestic violence or abuse.
- Complex trauma is exposure to varied and multiple traumatic events, often of an invasive, interpersonal nature.