About Trauma

Traumatic experiences are much more common than most of us would like to believe. When any of us experience something life threatening, or have a disturbing experience that alters our sense of physical or emotional safety, we are likely to have a trauma reaction.

After a traumatic experience, it’s normal to feel frightened, sad, anxious, and disconnected. Sometimes, with a healthy combination of safety in your environment, resources, and support those feelings will fade over time. If after some time you feel stuck with a constant sense of danger and painful memories, you may be experiencing from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

What is PTSD?

Any event, or series of events, that overwhelms you with feelings of powerlessness and serious emotional distress can trigger PTSD. People who personally experience the traumatic event and those who witness the event or provide support after the fact can develop PTSD.

Following a traumatic event, almost everyone experiences at least some of the symptoms of PTSD. This is called an acute stress reaction. For those who develop PTSD, these symptoms don’t fade over time. They may actually begin to feel worse as time goes by. While recognizing you have PTSD may feel very overwhelming and scary, getting diagnosed is the first step toward healing. There are many great treatments for PTSD, and you don’t have to suffer with these symptoms forever.

To learn more about trauma, download From Surviving to Thriving: Recognizing and healing from post-traumatic stress.