What is psychological trauma?
Psychological trauma, including post-traumatic stress disorder, is a collection of mental and physical responses to extremely upsetting life events. This can range from the horrors of wartime combat to sexual, emotional, or physical abuse, to natural disasters or accidents. Even things that everyone experiences, such as the death of a loved one, can cause trauma in the long run. Children and adults alike can fall victim to psychological trauma.
Experiencing such events takes a toll on the brain and body, causing shock and denial in the short-term, but also depression, anxiety, nightmares, and unhealthy coping mechanisms such as alcohol and drug addiction and perpetuation of abuse.
What is PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a psychiatric condition that develops when an especially distressing event negatively impacts your thought processes. Approximately 8 in 100 people will experience PTSD, and women are more likely than men to develop the disorder.
PTSD can cause nightmares, anxiety, flashbacks, and anger issues. PTSD was formerly known as shellshock because the symptoms and behaviors were identified in armed forces personnel who fought in the world wars.
What are the symptoms of psychological trauma?
Everyone experiences traumatic events differently, but you may have some of the following symptoms:
