Between the years 1995 to 1997, Kaiser Permanente and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted research labeled the Adverse Childhood Experiences study, or simply “ACEs”.
In this study, a link was discovered between adverse childhood experiences (traumatic events that occurred before the age of 18) and health and social problems throughout a person’s life. The more adverse childhood experiences one has, the higher likelihood this person will experience health and social problems. Additionally, in the US alone at least one traumatic event in a lifetime has been experienced by 61% of men and 51% of women.
So what exactly is trauma? Trauma is a response to an event or series of events that have impacted a person in such a way that they feel emotionally and or physically threatened. The experience can leave this person significantly impacted that affects their functioning in all areas of their life. In therapy, we as clinicians sometimes categorize traumatic events as “big Ts” and “little Ts.”
“Big Ts”, or big traumas, tend to describe events that are life-threatening where the individual is in fear of their own safety. Some examples of a big T are events such as being in the middle of a natural disaster, surviving a mass shooting, rape, or a robbery. More prolonged events such as ongoing child abuse, domestic violence, or war also fall into this category.
“Little Ts”, or little traumas, describe life changing events that are not life-threatening but can still affect a person detrimentally. These events can include but are not limited to divorce, being bullied, losing a pet, or losing a job.
Experiencing a traumatic event does not automatically result in the development of what is called posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. Some may experience “acute stress disorder” which can include a few or all of the following symptoms:
- Intrusive memories of the traumatic event
- Distressing dreams
- Dissociative reactions such as flashbacks
- Intense psychological distress in response to internal or external cues
- Difficulty experiencing positive emotions
- Inability to remember an important aspect of the trauma
- Avoidance of the memories
- Sleep disturbance
- Hypervigilance
- Problems focusing
- Startle response
With acute stress disorder, the symptoms can occur shortly after the event and will last no longer than a month. Anything longer than that, is considered PTSD. In addition, individuals may not experience any of these symptoms for many years, before something can trigger it. Along with PTSD, individuals can also experience additional challenges such as depressive and or anxious symptoms, difficulties within their interpersonal relationships, or substance abuse.
There are a variety of treatment modalities used to address symptoms related to trauma, a few which I touch on in a past article I wrote titled “Recovering From Trauma”. Whichever treatment modality you utilize in addressing your trauma, therapeutic intervention shouldn’t be the only approach to begin your healing. Experiencing trauma is complex and takes working through all aspects of your life; not just mentally and emotionally, but also physically and spiritually. Getting good sleep, regular exercise, and eating a healthy diet can reduce the risks of health problems that might possibly develop in relation to your trauma. Spiritual practices such as meditation, humanitarian services or spending time in nature can have significant health benefits to your overall well-being. When you create a more balanced approach in addressing your trauma, you can ensure more long lasting benefits for your lifetime.