A traumatic experience is any episode in life that causes a threat to our safety and eventually destroying the harmony between a person’s mind and body. As a result, a person experiences high levels of emotional, psychological, and physical fluctuations that indirectly interrupts with their ability to function normally in day to day life.
What exactly does the word ‘trauma’ mean?
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) defines trauma as direct personal experience of an event that involves actual or threatened death or serious injury; threat to one’s physical integrity, witnessing an event that involves the above experience, learning about unexpected or violent death, serious harm, or threat of death, or injury experienced by a family member or close associate. Memories associated with trauma are typically explicit, coherent, and difficult to forget.
In simple words, trauma is a wound caused to the mind and body of an individual through a series of repetitive distressing events.
Can adolescents experience trauma?
The answer is yes. Many teenagers nowadays undergo a lot of problems and distressing events in life such as harassment, embarrassment, abandonment, abusive relationships, rejection, co-dependence, physical assault, sexual abuse, bullying, paternalism, being the victim of an alcoholic parent, the threat or the witnessing of violence (particularly in childhood), life-threatening medical conditions, catastrophic events such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, house or domestic fire, motor vehicle accident, wars, terrorist attacks or other mass victimization like sex trafficking, being kidnapped etc.
How does it affect an individual?
An individual who has suffered trauma normally goes through three stages.
1. Shock or emergency stage: The individual in this stage is extremely disturbed and is not able to think or concentrate i.e. he is in an absent state of mind.
2. Suggestible stage: The individual in this stage tries to find out how to get out of the current circumstances by asking others or seeking guidance. They are most sensitive in these stage and accept any suggestions given to them without thinking about its further consequences.
3. Recovery or healing stage: The individual in this stage is still under stress but has started experiencing the normal state of balance and equilibrium. In other words, the individual’s internal alarm turns off, the high levels of energy subside, and your body starts to re-set itself.
Can trauma be treated? What if it’s left untreated?
Yes, it can be treated with one’s dedication and confidence that they can overcome it. It is very difficult at first to help a person overcome a traumatic experience because somewhere deep inside they have forgotten confiding in people and even in themselves.
Here are some things which you can do to help a person undergoing trauma:
• Encourage the person to speak with you without judging or advising them and wait till they ask for your feedback.
• Be genuine about your feelings and thoughts towards helping them and give them love and support in their extreme conditions.
• Be flexible with their change in behavior. Keep in mind that they are the same person before the traumatic episode even though you notice some changes in their behavior.
If trauma is left untreated, it might lead to severe mental disorders like Acute Stress Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Seek professional help immediately when:
• Their behavior is dangerous or harmful.
• They seem extremely depressed or anxious.
• They start the intake of intoxicants such as cigarettes or alcohol.
• They won’t communicate about where they’re going, what they’re doing or how they’re feeling and show no signs of recovery.
If you are facing any difficulties or problems related to you or your mental health, feel free to contact us.
Till then,
Stay happy! Love yourself! Stay healthy!
Bibliography
Sequeira, Aaron. “Trauma: An Agony for Mental Health.” A Will To Live., 30 Nov. 2020, www.awtl.org/.
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