FAQS About Trauma Disorders

Trauma Disorders

More than 70% of all adults experience some form of trauma in their lives. This makes trauma a very popular issue.

Understanding the types of trauma, causes, and treatment methods are, therefore, important.

What is Trauma?

Traumas are emotional responses to psychological or stressful events. Examples of such events could be war, sexual assaults, accidents, or the horrific death of a loved one.

How Does Someone Who Faces Trauma Feel?

People who go through traumatic experiences may feel shocked, overwhelmed, hopeless, worthless, or confused.

They will be emotionally unstable and also have some physical symptoms.

What are Trauma Disorders?

Trauma disorders refer to a prolonged period of persistent symptoms of trauma. The prolonged period could be months or years.

People who suffer from trauma disorders have a disrupted state of mind. Their daily activities will also be disrupted.

What are the Symptoms of Trauma Disorders?

Intrusive things
Anger
Deflated view of oneself
Irritability
Helplessness
Worthlessness
Flashbacks
Insomnia
Nightmares
Headaches
Concentration difficulties

The set of symptoms can vary depending on the traumatic experience and type of trauma.

What are the Types of Trauma Disorder?

Vicarious Trauma

This is an indirect trauma. People who suffer from this trauma get it from the trauma of a close friend or family member. In other words, they do not experience this trauma directly. Instead, it comes from the experiences of others.

Acute Trauma

People who suffer from acute trauma usually have gone through a single traumatic event. Their symptoms usually do not last as long as PTSD.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

This is the most common type of trauma disorder in the world. It affects more than 12 million Americans yearly.

This disorder can begin after one or more traumatic events. Sometimes, symptoms take a while to develop. This can be weeks or months.

Some symptoms that are peculiar to PTSD are

Unwanted and intrusive thoughts about the event
Irritability or a deflated view of oneself
Insomnia
Isolation

Complex Trauma

People who suffer from complex trauma disorder have gone through multiple traumatic events. These events may have their roots in child abuse or bullying.

They might have symptoms such as low self-esteem and problems creating emotional bonds.

Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD)

This disorder is mostly associated with children. People who suffer from this disorder struggle to form attachments with their guardians.

Symptoms of RAD can include withdrawal, lack of emotional response, and low self-esteem.

Who is More Likely to Have Trauma Disorders?

Gender- Men are more likely to have traumatic disorders. However, certain types of disorders are more prevalent in women such as PTSD. Women are specifically exposed to traumatic experiences such as childbirth.

War Veterans/Soldiers– People who have engaged in war and violence are more likely to have trauma disorders.

Child Abuse History- People who suffered from child abuse and bullying have a greater chance of having a traumatic disorder.

Accidents- People who have been involved in fatal or serious accidents.

How Can You Manage Trauma in Children?

Children are vulnerable to traumatic experiences. This can alter their development.

When a child goes through trauma, their hormones and bodies are heightened. This can lead to issues in the brain. It can also lead to bigger problems in adulthood.

If you feel your child has experienced a traumatic event, contact your doctor for more assistance.

What are the Likely Treatments For Trauma Disorders?

Treatment for trauma disorders varies depending on their severity. They include:

Medication

Medications can help manage the symptoms that come with trauma disorders. However, medications alone do not cure trauma disorders.

Contact your doctor to know more about your required medication.

Therapy

This is the most common treatment for trauma disorders. Some recommended therapies include

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing– Also known as EDMR. This therapy focuses on the integration of traumatic experiences into the memories of victims.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy– This therapy focuses on changing the thought process of participants.
Somatic Therapies– This therapy focuses on the body’s condition. Its main aim is to ease the trauma.