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As society makes strides in mental health awareness, the issue of trauma is frequently discussed. With experiences of trauma being common, it can be helpful to get an understanding of what the term “trauma” refers to. What is trauma?
Trauma is a complex topic with complicated consequences. Sometimes the best way to understand complex issues by describing them in simple terms. In this blog post, I will share a basic metaphor that I use frequently to explain trauma in my advocacy efforts and work as a trauma therapist.
If you are willing, I want you to take a moment and imagine something with me. Imagine that you are standing upright. Perhaps you are looking at something, or perhaps you are talking to someone. Regardless of what you are doing, imagine that you unexpectedly find that your feet are taken out from underneath you. When this happens, you fall, and your head hits the floor. In this moment, you find yourself on the ground, disoriented, confused, and unsure as to what happened or how you got there. Your brain scrambles to try to process what happened and how one minute your reality was one way, then the next moment everything was literally turned upside down.
For me, this is trauma. Trauma can feel like your feet have been taken out from underneath you unexpectedly. Trauma is an event, or series of events, that literally turn our world upside down. Trauma can leave our brain disoriented, scrambling to process the world and understand who we are, where we are, how we got there, and how to cope with what has happened. In fact, trauma may overwhelm the brain’s ability to cope and lead to a number of short-term and long-term psychological, physiological emotional, relational, and spiritual consequences (Aydin, 2017; Briere & Scott, 2015; Herman, 1992; SAMHSA, 2019).
By means of trauma advocacy, it is imperative to recognize not only the consequences that trauma can have but also the diversity of experiences that may be considered traumatic. According to SAMHSA (2019), trauma can be defined as “an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life-threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being.” In reading this definition, it can be easy to ascertain how situations that can be deemed traumatic may be vast and varied.
Some situations that may be traumatic may include but are not limited to: childhood abuse, neglect, interpersonal violence, car accidents, witnessing death or violence, sudden or tragic loss of a loved one, theft or home invasion, experiencing oppression, poverty, sexual violence, bullying, physical abuse, hate crimes, collective trauma experiences (e.g., pandemics like COVID-19, natural disasters; see What is Collective Trauma for other examples), and more.
Although many definitions of trauma are based in the events that happen, some experts recognize that the events might not be as important as the way the event impacts a person (McCann & Pearlman, 1992). When considering trauma, what is of utmost importance is recognizing that the person who has been impacted deserves to be met with empathy, unconditional positive regard, acceptance, and understanding.
Far too often, I hear individuals who have survived trauma minimize the trauma they have endured because it might not seem as “bad” as other individuals’ experiences or types of trauma. Although the effects of trauma may lie on a spectrum, trauma is trauma. Traumatic experiences and the effects of trauma are valid and should not be discounted.
There is no “right” or “wrong” way for an individual to be affected by trauma. The consequences of trauma involve a variety of interconnected and complex factors that cannot be quantified. In knowing this, when individuals or groups of people endure traumatic experiences, may we help them feel heard, validate their experiences, and offer support. And when the world takes our own feet out from underneath us, may we show ourselves compassion, empathy, and know that recovery is possible.
References
Aydin, C. (2017). How to Forget the Unforgettable? On Collective Trauma, Cultural Identity, and Mnemotechnologies, Identity, 17:3, 125-137, DOI: 10.1080/15283488.2017.1340160
Herman, J. (1992). Trauma and recovery: The aftermath of violence from domestic abuse to political terror. New York, NY: Basic Books.
McCann, I. L., & Pearlman, L. A. (1992). Constructivist self-development theory: A theoretical framework for assessing and treating traumatized college students. Journal of American College Health, 40, 189–196.
SAMHSA. (2019). Trauma and violence. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. https://www.samhsa.gov/trauma-violence
