ST. LOUIS, Mo. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Trauma—70 percent of adults will experience some form of it at some point in their lives – that’s more than 220 million people in the US. It can impact our physical health, our mental health, the way we live our lives, our work, and even affect the people we are closest to. The thing about trauma … nobody knows who will experience it or how they will experience it. In fact, trauma doesn’t have a timeline and can be triggered years, even decades after the event.
From something that impacted us all … To tragedies that may only happen to a few …
Jessica Gold, MD, MS, Psychiatrist at Washington University, St. Louis says, “Trauma’s a really interesting thing where a lot of times we’re trying to bury it and not even consciously.”
Psychiatrist Jessi Gold says that many times we believe if we push forward, we can overcome its effects.
Doctor Gold explains, “We just spent a day dealing with it and then kind of pulled ourselves together and went back and did our thing. And so, sometimes, then we think we’re fine. ‘That obviously didn’t affect me as much as it might have affected someone else.’”
And then … a sound, a TV show, a photo, a conversation … and things start to change.
“So, that can look like anxiety; can look like trouble breathing.” Doctor Gold explains.
Doctor Gold says a body doesn’t forget. “That there are things that remind you of the trauma that you feel in your body and don’t know why.”
Maybe it’s a headache for no reason, a stomachache, muscle tension, a sore neck …
Doctor Gold says, “Sometimes, with therapy, you can start to figure out what it’s related to.”
Delayed emotional response can also happen at any time.
Doctor Gold explains, “Emotional dysregulation will be what we would call that in fancier terms. But really, that just means, like, ‘I’m angry at people and I don’t know why, or I’m irritable and I don’t know why.’”
Understanding that trauma has no timeline, and what you’re experiencing is a reaction from the past is the first step to healing in the future.
When someone you know is going through trauma, the best thing to do is be there for them and listen to them. But Doctor Gold says avoid saying things like, “I know what you’re going through,” “I’m so sorry for you,” “It could be worse” and “It will be ok.”
Contributors to this news report include: Marsha Lewis, Producer; Roque Correa, Editor and Videographer.
Sources:
https://www.thenationalcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Trauma-infographic.pdf
TRAUMA HAS NO TIMELINE: SILENT SYMPTOMS
REPORT #3097
BACKGROUND: Physical or emotional trauma has been experienced by more than 223 million people in the United States at least once in their lifetime. Effects of trauma can include flashbacks, panic attacks, dissociation, feeling anxious, grief, sleep problems, feeling numb, suicidal feelings and alcohol and substance abuse making you more vulnerable for physical health problems and long-term chronic illnesses. Several different treatments are offered depending on your symptoms and diagnosis: talk therapies, arts and creative therapies and medication. Patients have also found the following therapies helpful: body-focused, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Cognitive analytic therapy (CAT) and schema therapy to address difficult beliefs about yourself.
(Source: www.thenationalcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Trauma-infographic.pdf?daf=375atetbd56 and www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/trauma/about-trauma/)
TRAUMA IN WOMEN: More than 50 percent of women in their lifetime will experience a traumatic event that can cause negative mental health problems, including PTSD. In fact, women experience PTSD two to three times more than men. In a lifetime, it is 10 to 12 percent for women compared to five to six percent for men. This is because women are exposed more to interpersonal and high-impact trauma like sexual assault compared to men. Physical or sexual abuse happens to one in three women during their lifetime which contributes to the highest risk of PTSD. Symptoms of PTSD usually last longer for women on an average of four years versus one year for men.
(Source: www.apa.org/topics/women-girls/women-trauma)
COMPLEX PTSD: Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) can happen if someone has repeated trauma over a long period of time either by a series of events or one long event such as physical, emotional or sexual abuse. It is related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but can cause additional symptoms. Seven percent of the U.S. population will be affected by traditional PTSD in their lifetime, and it is usually related to one single event. To diagnose CPTSD, the person must meet all criteria for traditional PTSD plus problems with self-regulation, maintaining relationships, low self-esteem and sense of shame or guilt. It can also require longer treatment than with traditional PTSD.
(Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322886#treatment)
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