What is Trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder?

Why this resource is helpful:

"When something extremely stressful happens in our lives (like seeing someone injured or killed, or having our own bodily safety threatened in some way), it can feel overwhelming. We may be troubled by these experiences to varying degrees. Often, we"re able to recover on our own and lead normal lives againespecially with the help of those who care about us.Sometimes, however, our natural healing process gets interrupted, and we find ourselves struggling with the aftermath of trauma for years afterward.Trauma refers to an overwhelming experience that typically involves a major threat to physical, emotional, or psychological safety. In some cases, the traumatic experience is a one-time event. For others, the trauma may recur on a regular basis, becoming chronic. It is a common misconception that we have to experience the traumatic event directly in order feel its full effect. Witnessing or learning about events that happen to our loved ones can be equally traumatic.The impact of trauma can be varied and uneven. Many of the initial responses to a trauma may subside within the first month or so after the event. However, when those responses do not go away, posttraumatic stress (PTSD) may occur."

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