Trauma disorders were first widely recognized following major wars when soldiers were coming home and struggling to return to their normal lives due to the trauma they experienced, witnessed, or heard about during their time serving. However, trauma doesn’t just affect those who experienced war-time trauma. In fact, 3-5% of people are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder each year, with approximately 11% of the population receiving this diagnosis each year. Experiencing, witnessing, or even hearing about any traumatic event can lead to trauma disorders such as PTSD.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex condition that is brought on by trauma. It is normal – and often expected – to react to a traumatic event, experience, or story. This is your body’s parasympathetic nervous system (fight or flight instinct) doing it’s job. However, sometimes these reactions return. Even when the trauma is over and in the past, your mind and body may not be able to let go of it. Sometimes there are triggers that bring back a memory or feeling of the trauma, and other times these memories come out of seemingly nowhere. Those who continue to experience those symptoms of trauma may have PTSD.
It cannot go without saying that certain minorities and marginalized groups are at a higher risk of developing PTSD. For instance, women are twice as likely as men to develop PTSD. Additionally, Latin American, African American, and Native American peoples are disproportionately affected by this disorder.
While PTSD is the most widely recognized trauma disorder, it is not the only one. Other trauma disorders include:
Trauma is rarely something that just goes away on its own. Many people actually find that trying to “sweep their trauma under the rug,” so to speak, can actually prevent them from truly moving on. If the symptoms of a trauma are not going away on their own, then getting help sooner then later is going to be paramount for recovery. Untreated trauma can be a danger to the individual struggling, as well as those around them. With the right approach, trauma is something that can be overcome.
