What is trauma?

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Have you been involved in an incident which has left you distressed?

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Have you been exposed to stressful situations that you can’t stop thinking about?

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Life can throw some very distressing and scary situations at us. Some stressful events we can overcome, but sometimes past experiences can affect your wellbeing and everyday life. This is called trauma.

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What causes trauma?

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Trauma happens a result from harmful interactions or events that shatter your sense of peace and security.
Trauma can be a physical or emotional response or both, and it affects your body’s ability to deal with something that has happened to you. The way you react to a traumatic incident is very personal to you. Your response can depend on various things including your past, your present situation, your support system and your personality. We’re all individual and different things affect people differently.

What are the different types of trauma?

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There are three types of trauma a person can be faced with: 
•    Acute trauma – this is trauma that results from a single incident.
•    Chronic trauma – this is when the trauma is repeated over a long period of time, like domestic abuse.
•    Complex trauma – is when you are exposed to lots of different traumatic events.
 

What are the signs of trauma?

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IIf you have been subjected to any type of distress, then it’s important to be aware of any signs and symptoms that you might be suffering from trauma. 
Symptoms of trauma can look like:

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• Feeling numb and detached

• Feeling extremely tired

• Becoming protective of others

• Experiencing extreme mood swings

• Feeling very sensitive and vulnerable

• Finding yourself staying away from other people or situations

• Being very easy to upset

• Feeling anxious and on edge

• Finding it difficult to sleep or eat or enjoy yourself

• Feeling depressed or low in mood

How to get help for trauma

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Some people recover and heal in their own time from trauma, but for some of us we need that extra helping hand. 
There are many healthy and beneficial ways to get through trauma, if you find you’re struggling don’t suffer alone. Get in touch with your local GP or mental health professional for support.
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Tools and resources for trauma

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Some people recover and heal in their own time from trauma, but for some of us we need that extra helping hand. 
There are many healthy and beneficial ways to get through trauma, if you find you’re struggling don’t suffer alone. Get in touch with your local GP or mental health professional for support.