Trauma
Trauma is generally defined as a response to an event or ongoing conditions that are deeply distressing, painful, or disturbing.
Addiction and trauma expert Gabor Mate defines trauma as:
“A psychic wound that hardens a person psychologically and interferes with growth and development.”
Mate also explains that trauma is not what happens to you but rather what happens inside of you as a result of what happens to you.
Distinguishing these facts about trauma is crucial as many of us compare our trauma responses to those around us, which can be extremely unhelpful.
For instance, siblings that lose a parent will have entirely different feelings and responses to the loss, equally painful, no doubt, but the keyword here is different.
Comparison is the thief of joy.
However, it also robs us of our ability to integrate and accept our traumatic past as (rightly or wrongly) people often look to others for cues as to how they should be feeling, leading to re-traumatisation and an inability to seek treatment when it’s needed.
Here, we will explore trauma, its symptoms, and effective treatments that can help.
Trauma treatment South Africa: Meet the White River Manor team
If you think that you (or a loved one) may be struggling with symptoms of trauma or want to learn more about our trauma treatment programs, our friendly team at White River Manor can help.
Our multidisciplinary team specialises in diagnosing and treating various types of trauma using a blend of evidence-based methodologies and approaches to ensure you get the most out of your recovery.
We provide a range of different treatments and therapies to help you address and reprocess your trauma so that you are no longer held back or limited by your past experiences; instead, you can learn to manage your life in new, more empowering ways.
Our trauma treatment programs include the following:
- EMDR (eye movement desensitisation reprocessing) therapy
- Trauma-specific therapy
- Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)
- Medication (if needed)
Contact our friendly team today to learn more about our trauma treatment program and begin your journey to healing your past and living the life you always imagined.
We are always here to lend a listening ear and offer guidance and support whenever needed.
What is trauma?
Trauma, often called an emotional wound or injury, can occur as a result of either witnessing or directly experiencing a traumatic event or series of events.
Any situation our nervous system perceives as harmful or life-threatening—to ourselves or others—can make us feel overwhelmed, frightened, and isolated.
When a stressful situation overpowers our ability to process our emotional experience, our capacity to cope diminishes.
This can result in trauma, even if it doesn’t cause us any physical harm.
As Gabor Mate explains, it is not the circumstances that determine whether an event is traumatic but our emotional experience or responses to it.
A traumatic event or experience can cause profound shock and affect all of our systems, including our mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health and well-being.
There are no objective criteria to assess which situations will trigger trauma and which ones won’t, as we are all unique and respond to difficult or painful experiences in our own way.
However, typically, trauma triggers a variety of responses, such as a loss of control, feelings of betrayal, fear, helplessness, pain, confusion, and loss, to name just a few.
A traumatic event or experience may occur only once or be repeated and ongoing.
Moreover, trauma can be categorised as “Big T Trauma” or “Little t Trauma”, depending on the type of events a person has experienced.
Below is a table listing examples of “Big T” and “Little t” traumas.
| Big T Trauma examples | Little t Trauma examples |
|---|---|
| Childhood abuse/neglect | Losing a job |
| Life-threatening illness or Medical intervention | Moving home |
| Physical, emotional, or sexual abuse | Being harassed or bullied |
| Sudden loss of a loved one | Divorce |
| Witnessing acts of violence | Financial or legal worries |
| Serious accidents | Being threatened or ignored |
| War and other forms of violence | Conflicts at work |
| Natural disasters | Conflict with family members |
Trauma affects us all differently
Trauma does not need to be a Big T Trauma – such as war, natural disaster, or physical assault – to affect you profoundly.
Trauma is a very subjective experience, and it is essential to remember that trauma is defined more by your response(s) to an event rather than the external triggers.
We all have our unique capacity to handle stress, known as resilience, which impacts our ability to cope with trauma.
While traumatic events can happen to anyone, we’re more likely to be traumatised by them if we have recently suffered a series of losses, are already under a lot of stress, or have been traumatised before, particularly if we experienced trauma in childhood.
Trauma is often a direct cause of mental health problems or can make us more vulnerable to developing them.
Studies show that trauma is a risk factor in nearly all behavioural health and substance use disorders.
There is also a direct correlation between trauma and some physical health conditions, such as COPD, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
Emotional trauma is a normal response to a disturbing event, and recovery takes time.
However, if months have passed by and your symptoms persist and interfere with your daily functioning, you may have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
PTSD develops when our nervous system gets ‘stuck,’ and we remain in psychological shock, unable to make sense of what happened or effectively process our emotions.
It is crucial to seek help from a mental health professional who can assist you in integrating and reprocessing your trauma, which can help restore balance and peace to your life so that you can heal past wounds and move forward with more hope for a brighter future.
What are the different types of trauma?
Trauma has no boundaries and can affect anyone, regardless of age, race, or gender.
Most people will experience at least one traumatic event at some stage.
However, not all trauma responses will be the same.
Below is a list of the different types of trauma people can experience following a traumatic or stressful event.
Acute trauma
Acute trauma is usually associated with a one-time, stressful, or dangerous event, such as a car accident, natural disaster, a single event of abuse or assault, or witnessing a violent attack.
These experiences can negatively impact various areas of your life if your symptoms are left untreated. Therefore, you must speak to a professional about your concerns.
Chronic trauma
Chronic trauma results from exposure to multiple, repeated, and prolonged stressful or traumatic events.
Examples of chronic trauma include:
- Childhood abuse
- Being bullied
- Exposure to war or combat situations
- Domestic violence
- Neglect and abandonment
- Starvation
- Chronic illness
Symptoms of chronic trauma such as hyperarousal, avoidance behaviours, and intrusive (trauma-related) memories may not surface for a long time, sometimes even years, after the event has taken place.
Chronic trauma can also be a result of several acute traumas happening one after the other.
Like acute trauma, if left unresolved, chronic trauma can have long-term adverse effects on your health and overall quality of life.
Complex trauma
Complex trauma results from exposure to multiple and varied traumatic events or experiences that take place over a long period, such as months or years.
These experiences or events are usually recurring, extended, and cumulative and often happen within specific contexts, such as an interpersonal relationship.
Complex trauma has a profound impact on the nervous system, causing various mental, emotional, physical, and even spiritual health complications throughout an individual’s lifespan.
Studies show that complex trauma symptoms can be similar to those experienced in PTSD, such as:
- Flashbacks
- Avoidance behaviours (you may avoid specific places, people, or scenarios that remind you of the traumatic event you experienced)
- Anxiety
Complex trauma can distort your perceptions of yourself and the world around you, resulting in relationship difficulties and issues with emotional regulation.
What causes complex trauma?
Forms of complex trauma can occur during domestic abuse, community violence, multiple military deployments, exploitation by an authority figure or a person in power, and all forms of child abuse.
Other possible causes of complex trauma include:
- Ongoing physical or emotional abuse
- Torture or being held captive
- Medical abuse or medical trauma
- Chronic neglect or abandonment
- Sexual abuse or incest
- Living in a war zone
Unresolved complex trauma can have a lasting negative influence on your life if symptoms remain untreated.
Therefore, if you think you have any of the symptoms of complex trauma, you must seek the help and support of a professional who can offer further guidance and treatment.
Developmental trauma
Developmental trauma occurs during a child’s first three years of life as the result of abuse, neglect, or abandonment.
During the first few years of life, children need safe, soothing, and predictable caregivers to develop secure, loving attachments to those around them.
When a child is given a safe, secure foundation to grow, the brain can develop in a healthy, normal sequence.
However, if, for whatever reason, a child is unable to form a secure and safe attachment to its parent or caregiver, this developmental process is disrupted, and what follows is often out of balance or kilter with normal, healthy growth.
When stress responses are repeatedly activated over an extended period in infants and young children, these responses can disrupt regular brain development sequences.
As a result, other aspects of development, such as emotional, physical, cognitive, and social, are also impacted.
Moreover, unresolved developmental trauma can manifest in many different ways.
For instance, the most common mental health diagnoses that emerge from those who experienced developmental trauma include bipolar disorder, personality disorders, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, PTSD, and ADHD.
Other types of trauma
As well as those mentioned above, there are other types of trauma that individuals may experience, including:
- Collective trauma is a type of trauma that affects a whole community or country. For example, acts of war, natural disasters, forced displacement, and acts of terrorism.
- Secondary trauma, also known as vicarious trauma, is when a person develops trauma symptoms from having close contact with a person who has been directly affected by a traumatic event. Family members, mental health professionals, and others who care for those who have experienced a traumatic event are at risk of vicarious trauma. The symptoms of secondary trauma can often mirror those of PTSD.
What is PTSD?
PTSD, also called post-traumatic stress disorder, can develop when the symptoms of trauma persist or get worse in the weeks and months following a stressful event or experience and can seriously affect your ability to function.
It occurs when your nervous system remains on high alert after a traumatic event or experience, a survival strategy designed to protect you against further harm.
Our alert systems respond to reminders of the traumatic memories as a threat, and additional triggers may be added to a growing list of stressors.
PTSD is distressing and negatively impacts our daily lives and relationships.
Symptoms can escalate into panic attacks, feelings of isolation, depression, suicidal thoughts and feelings, addictions, and an inability to complete basic tasks.
PTSD may last for many years.
However, effective treatments are available to help people manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life.
A study that focused on trauma and PTSD in South Africa specifically found the most common traumatic events were due to the unexpected death of a loved one and witnessing trauma occurring to others.
Lifetime and 12-month prevalence rates of PTSD were 2.3% and 0.7%, respectively, while the conditional prevalence of PTSD after trauma exposure was 3.5%.
Socio-demographic factors such as sex, age, and education were largely unrelated to PTSD risk. (Trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder in South Africa: analysis from the South African Stress and Health Study, BMC Psychiatry, Lukoye Atwoli, et al., 2013.)
It’s also important to note that the majority of people who experience a traumatic event will not develop PTSD.
What factors determine how trauma affects us?
Similar levels of exposure to traumatic events will affect individuals in different ways.
For example, some will exhibit resilient responses and continue daily life without significant disruption.
In contrast, others will be significantly affected emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually and, as a result, may require treatment to help them manage their symptoms.
Many other factors can determine how a traumatic event will affect you and how you respond, including:
- Your personality and characteristics
- Genetics
- Whether you experienced childhood trauma
- The presence of other mental health conditions (called co-occurring disorders)
- Previous exposure to traumatic events
- The type and characteristics of the traumatic event(s)
- Your background and approach to managing stress and intense emotions
- The level of other stressors or worries at the time of the event (or later on)
- Being harmed or betrayed by people close to you
- Whether or not you receive adequate help and support during and after your trauma
What are the signs and symptoms of trauma?
The signs and symptoms of trauma can range from mild to severe, depending on your experiences, background, and other factors.
Your symptoms can also be short-lived or persist over several days, weeks, months, or even years.
Symptoms of trauma typically fall into three primary categories: physical, emotional, and psychological and behavioural.
Let’s take a closer look at each one.
Physical
Along with emotional responses, trauma can cause a range of physical symptoms, such as:
- Muscle soreness, including headaches, aches and pains, and general tension in the body
- Digestive symptoms, including nausea, constipation, or diarrhoea
- Altered sleep patterns and fatigue issues
- Sweating and heart palpitations
- A weakened immune system where you may be more susceptible to colds, flu, and other illnesses
Emotional and psychological
A person who has experienced trauma may experience the following emotional or psychological symptoms:
- Shock, denial, or disbelief
- Anger, irritability, or mood swings
- Feelings of horror, disgust, or shame
- Fear and anxiety
- Sadness
- Guilt and self-blame
- Confusion and difficulty concentrating
- Depression
- Feeling disconnected or numb
- Hopelessness
- A need to self-medicate through alcohol, drugs, or prescription medication
Behavioural
It is common for trauma to affect your behaviour and self-image; for example, you may experience the following:
- Disruptions to your usual routines, including sleep patterns, appetite, and libido
- Excessive startle reflexes in response to certain noises, images, or unexpected touch
- Erratic or hostile responses, such as outbursts of excessive anger or rage
- Increased isolation – feelings of detachment and hopelessness
- Difficulties in relationships due to low self-esteem and lack of trust
- Diminished interest in and avoidance of everyday activities that you once enjoyed
- Increased use of alcohol or drugs to cope with your trauma symptoms
Recovering from the effects of trauma takes time, and everyone heals at their own pace.
However, if months have passed and your symptoms persist or worsen, you may need professional help.
Unresolved trauma can lead to PTSD and other mental health complications such as depression, chronic anxiety, and substance abuse issues.
While there is no cure for trauma, and no quick fix, a wide range of effective treatments can help you reprocess your trauma, develop healthy coping mechanisms, and build resilience over time.
We can’t change the past.
However, we can reframe our experiences to a much more empowering narrative, one that allows us to experience all the joys that life has to offer, a life where we not only survive but eventually thrive.
How can trauma be treated?
As mentioned previously, trauma is an emotional injury.
Therefore, we cannot expect trauma or its effects to disappear completely.
However, ‘integration’ is possible through various treatments and therapies.
This means that you can integrate your past experiences and reframe them in more positive ways so that they no longer negatively impact your life.
Trauma-focused or trauma-informed therapy is the most effective and long-lasting approach to trauma healing.
This approach utilises a combination of therapies to help resolve unpleasant feelings and memories, discharge pent-up ‘fight-or-flight’ energy, allow you to regulate difficult emotions, and rebuild trust.
Many practical therapeutic approaches and techniques can be used to treat trauma effectively, including:
- Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) teaches you to be more aware of your thoughts and beliefs about your traumatic history. This treatment helps you develop specific coping skills to react to emotional triggers in healthier ways. Evidence supports CBT as the most effective approach for treating many types of trauma, including PTSD.
- Exposure therapy (In Vivo Exposure Therapy) is a form of cognitive behaviour therapy that can be used to reduce the fear associated with emotional triggers caused by trauma.
Many trauma treatments work on the memory portion (the unconscious) of an individual’s trauma.
However, research shows that the conscious brain must also be treated for recovery to be long-lasting and effective. Thus, cognitive behavioural therapy is a commonly used treatment for those who have experienced trauma and adversity.
In addition, recent studies have found that body-oriented approaches such as mindfulness, yoga, and EMDR are powerful tools for helping the mind and body reconnect and can help individuals heal and recover from the effects of trauma.
These treatments include the following:
EMDR (eye movement desensitisation reprocessing)
EMDR, also called eye movement desensitisation reprocessing, incorporates elements of cognitive behaviour therapy with eye movements or other forms of rhythmic, left-right stimulation that help desensitise you, thus creating space for you to reprocess and integrate traumatic memories and events.
Several randomised controlled trials have demonstrated that EMDR is an effective treatment for many types of trauma, including PTSD and complex trauma (also called C-PTSD).
Somatic techniques
Some studies have shown that trauma imprints can be stored as physical movements and feelings in our bodies – not just as mental narratives about the traumatic events we experience.
This means that we can experience them as immediate threats in the present moment.
Many therapists use somatic or body-based techniques, which can help the mind and body to reprocess and integrate trauma, allowing there to be a unification between mind, body, and soul, which is essential to lasting healing and recovery.
Other complementary treatments often used to treat trauma include massage therapy, pet or equine therapy, art therapy, craniosacral therapy, acupuncture, and hypnotherapy.
Medication
Medication alone cannot cure trauma or PTSD.
However, certain types of medication can be used to reduce many of the challenging symptoms that accompany trauma, such as anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances.
Once you learn to manage your symptoms more effectively, you will feel more able to participate in other therapies and interventions.
Working through trauma can be challenging, painful, and potentially re-traumatising. Therefore, treatment needs to be facilitated by an experienced trauma specialist.
Trauma treatment at White River Manor
At White River Manor, we provide a holistic trauma treatment program for trauma disorders shaped around your personal preferences and therapeutic needs.
Our professional, multidisciplinary team comes from diverse backgrounds and experiences, but all have one goal: to support you in restoring balance to your mind, body, and soul.
We blend intensive therapy, medical management, psychiatric evaluation, exercise options, healthy eating, and nutrition to ensure deep transformational healing and recovery from the effects of trauma.
In addition, you will learn new coping strategies and gain valuable tools and insights to help you deal with life’s challenges after treatment, thereby sustaining long-term recovery.
If you’d like to learn more about the trauma treatments we offer, please get in touch with us today, and we will happily assist.
We are here and ready to help.
