Trauma
Trauma, you hear about it nonstop these days, so what is it? Some people think of Post Traumatic Stress (PTS), our military, police, fire, and first responders. Some think about being a victim of a violent crime, sexual abuse, physical abuse, or emotional abuse. Some people consider being bullied or neglected, and all of these are valid. Trauma is essentially anything less than nurturing. Trauma to one person may not necessarily be traumatic to another person, but one thing is for sure: we have ALL experienced it.
Life can be challenging, and at times, we may feel stuck. We might go through frightening or traumatic experiences—whether personally, through someone we care about, or within our community. These events can leave a lasting impact, and it's not always easy to "get over it." In fact, without intentional steps toward healing, the effects can linger for years—or even a lifetime.
Sometimes, we don't recognize the impact right away. It may take months or even years before we start experiencing distressing thoughts, nightmares, or other unsettling symptoms. In some cases, we might develop symptoms without fully remembering the original event. Healing takes time, and acknowledging these experiences is often the first step towards healing and wholeness.
For many years, the link between these experiences and emotional or psychological symptoms was often ignored. Conditions like substance use, depression, anxiety, phobias, flashbacks, delusions, or feeling detached from reality were frequently addressed without examining their underlying causes. In recent years, however, both research and clinical practice have increasingly validated what many suspected all along: traumatic experiences can be a significant factor in the development of these symptoms.