What is Trauma?

Understanding Trauma and Its Impact: A Journey of Healing

Trauma can be one of the most misunderstood parts of our lives, but it is something that affects so many of us in ways we don't always recognise. Whether it’s the big, life-altering experiences or the quieter, less obvious wounds, trauma shapes who we are and how we see the world. For many of us, it can feel like a shadow that follows us wherever we go, affecting our relationships, choices, and even our physical health.

So, what exactly is trauma? Simply put, trauma is any experience that overwhelms us emotionally and leaves us feeling powerless, helpless, or broken. It’s not always about extreme events; it can also be about smaller, repeated experiences that shape our perception of ourselves and the world.

On a spiritual level, trauma is an experience that disrupts our sense of inner peace and connection with our true selves. It can disconnect us from our intuition, our ability to trust, and the feeling of safety within ourselves. Spiritually, trauma can create a wound that feels invisible, but it carries deep emotional and energetic scars. It’s like the soul being shaken, and for many of us, it takes time and healing to restore that peace.

Understanding the Different Types of Trauma and Their Impact

Trauma can affect us in many ways, and it can take different forms. Knowing the type of trauma you've experienced is an important step toward understanding its impact and the healing that is needed. Let's take a closer look at the most common types of trauma and how they can affect us.

1. Childhood Trauma

Childhood trauma refers to experiences that occurred during your early years that caused significant emotional, physical, or psychological harm. This could be anything from neglect, physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, to witnessing violence or living in an unstable environment. Some examples include:

• Physical abuse: A parent or caregiver hitting, shaking, or harming you physically.

• Emotional abuse: Being belittled, humiliated, or made to feel worthless by a caregiver.

• Neglect: A lack of basic needs like food, shelter, emotional support, or attention.

• Witnessing violence: Observing domestic violence, violence in your community, or a traumatic event.

• Separation or abandonment: Being abandoned by one or both parents, whether emotionally or physically.

• Sexual abuse: Experiencing any form of sexual assault or exploitation, often by a trusted adult or family member.

  
  

The impact of childhood trauma can be profound and long-lasting. It can manifest as low self-esteem, difficulty trusting others, anxiety, depression, and struggles with emotional regulation. For many, childhood trauma becomes the lens through which they view life, and this can carry over into adulthood, affecting relationships and mental health.

2. Complex Trauma

Complex trauma typically refers to repeated or prolonged exposure to traumatic events, often experienced over a long period of time. This type of trauma can occur in situations like ongoing abuse, neglect, or living in a harmful environment. Some examples include:

• Ongoing domestic violence: Living in a home where violence, emotional abuse, sexual abuse or manipulation is frequent.

• Chronic childhood abuse or neglect: Experiencing repeated emotional, physical, or sexual abuse from caregivers or family members over years.

• Human trafficking or prolonged captivity: Being held against your will in situations that involve severe emotional and physical trauma.

• Living in a war zone: Exposure to the ongoing stress and violence of living in a conflict or war-torn area.

• Chronic bullying: Being repeatedly harassed or bullied at school, work, or home for an extended period.

The effects of complex trauma can be incredibly deep. It can lead to difficulties in regulating emotions, persistent feelings of helplessness or shame, and challenges in forming healthy relationships. Survivors may experience symptoms of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), including flashbacks, hyper-vigilance, and emotional numbness. It often creates a sense of fragmentation, where a person feels disconnected from themselves or others.

3. Acute Trauma

Acute trauma is the result of a single traumatic event, such as a car accident, a natural disaster, or an assault. It’s a one-time experience, but the emotional and physical impact can be overwhelming. Some examples include:

• Car accident: Experiencing a serious car accident that causes physical injury and emotional shock.

• Natural disasters: Surviving an earthquake, flood, hurricane, or other devastating events.

• Assault or robbery: Being physically attacked or robbed, leaving a person feeling violated and unsafe.

• Sudden loss: The unexpected death of a loved one, especially if it happens suddenly or violently. This includes Miscarriage. The loss of a pregnancy, no matter how early, can be an incredibly painful experience that leaves us feeling empty, alone, and grieving for the life that was never given a chance.

• Workplace accidents: A traumatic event at work, such as an industrial accident or injury.

The aftermath of acute trauma can lead to intense emotional reactions, but often, people begin to heal over time with support and self-care. However, if not processed, the trauma can evolve into long-term psychological issues such as PTSD. It's important to acknowledge the trauma, give yourself grace, and allow space for healing.

4. Physical Trauma

Physical trauma refers to injuries sustained in accidents, falls, or violent incidents. While the focus is on the physical harm, emotional trauma can also occur, especially when the injury is severe or life-threatening. Some examples include:

• Car accidents: Injuries sustained in crashes that leave both physical and emotional scars.

• Sports injuries: Serious injuries like broken bones, head trauma, or spinal injuries sustained during physical activities.

• Violence: Physical assault or attacks such as being punched, stabbed, or shot.

• Workplace accidents: Accidents that occur on the job, such as falling from a height or being injured by machinery.

• Severe illness or surgery: A life-threatening illness or a major surgical procedure that can leave lasting physical and emotional effects.

Healing from physical trauma can take time, both physically and emotionally. The body’s memory of pain and fear can linger long after the injury heals, creating a cycle of tension, anxiety, or avoidance. It’s essential to address both the physical and emotional healing for true recovery.

5. Emotional or Psychological Trauma

Emotional trauma, also known as psychological trauma, occurs when an individual experiences an event that overwhelms their ability to cope. This could be verbal abuse, bullying, or the loss of a loved one. Psychological trauma can also stem from living in constant fear, feeling powerless, or enduring overwhelming stress. Examples of emotional trauma include:

• Verbal abuse: Constant belittling, insults, or gaslighting by a partner, family member, or friend.

• Bullying: Repeated harassment or intimidation, especially in a school or work environment.

• Loss of a loved one: The death of someone close, especially if it's unexpected or unresolved.

• Divorce or breakup: Experiencing an emotionally painful breakup or separation, particularly in long-term relationships.

• Living in constant fear: Exposure to ongoing stress, such as living in an abusive relationship or an unsafe environment.

  
  

The emotional scars from psychological trauma can be just as profound as physical wounds. It affects self-worth, belief systems, and how we see the world. Those who’ve experienced emotional trauma may struggle with trust, depression, anxiety, and difficulty managing relationships. Learning how to process emotions, setting healthy boundaries, and seeking support are vital for healing.

6. Developmental Trauma

Developmental trauma involves any traumatic event that occurs during the crucial stages of emotional, cognitive, or social development, especially during the early childhood years. This type of trauma can include emotional neglect, abandonment, or inconsistent caregiving. It can also refer to experiences where children were unable to form secure attachments, such as being raised in an environment of chronic instability. Examples include:

• Inconsistent caregiving: Having parents or caregivers who were unreliable, neglectful, or emotionally unavailable.

• Emotional neglect: Growing up without emotional support, love, or validation, leaving you with feelings of worthlessness.

• Separation from caregivers: Being separated from your parents or primary caregivers due to adoption, foster care, or institutionalisation.

• Insecure attachments: Growing up without forming secure bonds with caregivers, leaving a lasting effect on how you trust and connect with others.

• Exposure to substance abuse or mental illness in the household: Growing up in a home where a parent or caregiver struggles with addiction or severe mental health issues.

This form of trauma often leads to issues with emotional regulation, trust, and difficulty in forming healthy relationships. It can also cause challenges with self-esteem and self-worth, as the person may not have learned how to value themselves properly during their formative years.

7. Vicarious Trauma

Vicarious trauma, also known as secondary trauma, happens when someone experiences trauma indirectly. This could be through being a caregiver to someone who has been traumatised or through exposure to traumatic events in their work, such as in healthcare, emergency response, or counseling. While you may not have experienced the traumatic event yourself, the emotional toll it takes can leave lasting effects. Examples include:

• Healthcare workers: Nurses, doctors, and paramedics who regularly deal with severely injured or ill patients.

• Therapists or counselors: Mental health professionals who listen to and help individuals work through their trauma.

• First responders: Firefighters, police officers, and emergency workers who regularly witness death, injury, or severe distress.

• Caregivers: Individuals who take care of a loved one with chronic illness, addiction, or mental health problems.

• Journalists or photographers: Professionals who cover traumatic events like wars, natural disasters, or violent crimes.

  
  

Vicarious trauma can lead to symptoms similar to PTSD, such as intrusive thoughts, feelings of hopelessness, and emotional exhaustion. It’s important for those in high-stress, emotionally intense professions to have support systems and healthy coping mechanisms to prevent burnout and emotional depletion.

How Trauma Affects Us

The way trauma affects us is unique to each person, but some common effects can include feelings of anxiety, depression, and a lack of trust in others or ourselves. We might feel disconnected, like we're living life on autopilot, not fully engaged or emotionally present. Trauma can also cause physical symptoms like tension, pain, or exhaustion that seem to have no clear cause, but are really the result of our body holding onto past pain.

How Trauma Affects Us in the Long Run

When trauma isn't addressed, it can continue to affect us for years, sometimes even a lifetime. In the long run, unhealed trauma can manifest in various ways:

• Mental Health Struggles: Unresolved trauma can lead to ongoing issues with anxiety, depression, PTSD, or even panic attacks. We may find ourselves stuck in patterns of negative thinking and self-doubt that seem impossible to break.

• Difficulty in Relationships: Trauma can make it hard to trust others. We may struggle with intimacy or push people away because we're afraid of being hurt again. Some people might end up in toxic relationships because they’re unconsciously repeating the patterns of their past.

• Physical Health Issues: The emotional toll of trauma doesn’t stay in the mind—it seeps into the body. Chronic stress can lead to headaches, digestive issues, fatigue, and even chronic pain. The emotional weight of unhealed trauma can be held in our muscles and organs.

• Self-Sabotage: When we’ve experienced trauma, we may feel like we’re not worthy of good things. This can lead to self-sabotage, where we unknowingly create situations that mirror the pain we’ve experienced, or we resist success and happiness out of fear.

• Financial struggles: Unhealed trauma, particularly when it stems from early negative beliefs or childhood programming, can have a profound impact on our financial lives as adults. The way we view money, success, and our own self-worth can be deeply influenced by the trauma we experienced, often without us even realising it. Here’s how unhealed trauma can affect us financially:

  
  

What Happens If We Don’t Heal Our Trauma?

Not healing our trauma can mean carrying its weight with us throughout our lives. The longer we ignore it, the more it controls us, sometimes without us even realizing. We might develop coping mechanisms like drinking, overeating, or withdrawing socially, but these are just temporary distractions. If we don't heal, trauma can continue to dictate how we interact with the world and how we see ourselves.

For example, someone who experienced childhood neglect might grow up feeling unworthy of love and may end up in relationships where they are treated poorly, simply because they don’t believe they deserve better. Or, someone who witnessed domestic violence might struggle with trust in their romantic relationships, pushing people away out of fear that they will be hurt again.

What Trauma Is Not

Trauma is not about the event itself, but how it affects you. Just because someone else didn’t seem to be affected by something doesn’t mean you won’t be. Trauma isn’t about “toughing it out” or “getting over it.” It’s also not about comparing your experiences to others; your feelings are valid, no matter how big or small the event might seem. It’s not a sign of weakness to need time and support to heal. Healing is a journey, not a race.

Myths of Trauma

There are many myths about trauma that can make it harder for us to understand and heal. Here are a few:

• Myth 1: "Trauma is only caused by big events like abuse or war."

  • Fact: Trauma can be caused by any event that overwhelms your ability to cope, no matter how big or small.

• Myth 2: "You should just get over it."

  • Fact: Healing is not linear. It takes time, and it’s okay to feel like you’re not okay. It’s part of the process.

• Myth 3: "Only certain people can experience trauma."

  • Fact: Everyone’s trauma is valid, and no one’s experience is too small to matter. Your pain is real, and your healing is important.

    
    

My Thoughts

Trauma doesn’t always come in the form of a violent event. Sometimes, the smaller, quieter moments of life can deeply affect us. Although I survived Childhood Trauma, I certainly could make a long list of other traumas that are on these lists which have felt just as valid and also shook me to the core that I have also taken a long time to work through. 

This is why I think it is important to emphasise how the term ‘trauma’ is deeply personal, and I don’t always like to categorise it so rigidly as it is in the mainstream. For example, hearing terms like "acute trauma", I feel, can sometimes make it sound less serious, as if it’s not as impactful. But for me, trauma is anything that significantly alters your emotions, your sense of self, and how you experience life—no matter how big or small the event may seem. If it feels traumatic for you, it is trauma. 

The mainstream categories can be helpful though as a starting point to help in understanding different types of trauma, especially when you’re trying to recognise something you may not have initially realised was affecting you or as a ‘typical trauma’. Ultimately, it’s about how the event impacts your emotional well-being and your life moving forward.

Each type of trauma can affect the mind, body and soul in different ways. They all can leave lasting scars that if left unaddressed can affect us all differently. No matter the type, trauma survivors deserve to know that they are not alone, and healing is possible. Understanding the trauma you’ve experienced is an important step toward recovery. With time, self-compassion, and support, you can reclaim your power and begin to heal.

Your Healing Is Important

Healing from trauma isn’t easy, but it’s essential. It’s the only way to break free from the cycles of pain and fear that hold us back. Healing allows us to reclaim our power, reconnect with our true selves, and live a life filled with peace and possibility.

It’s about acknowledging the hurt, forgiving ourselves for the things we’ve done to cope, and giving ourselves permission to heal with lost of self love and compassion.

Healing doesn’t mean forgetting. It means learning to live with our experiences without allowing them to control us. It’s a journey of self-love, self-compassion, and rediscovery of the life we deserve.

If you’re a trauma survivor, know this: your pain doesn’t define you. You have the power to heal, to transform your life, and to create something new. You are worthy of healing, and you deserve to live a life that’s free from the weight of the past.

Remember, it’s okay to not be okay. Healing takes time, but it’s the most important journey you can embark on. You are not alone.