Trauma Experiences and Responses
Traumatic experiences can impact people physically, emotionally, and/or cognitively damaging. These impacts can be lifelong, and in some situations, they can be life-threatening.
What is a Traumatic Experience?
A traumatic experience is an adverse (or negative event) that can be scary and harmful to our wellbeing.
Traumatic experiences can impact people physically, emotionally, and/or cognitively damaging. These impacts can be lifelong, and in some situations, they can be life-threatening.
What are Some Types of Traumatic Experiences?
Some types of well-known traumatic experiences include:
Physical trauma
S-xual trauma
Emotional trauma
However, there are many other types of traumatic experiences that are not as well known. These include:
Religious trauma
Workplace trauma
Vicarious trauma
Identity-based trauma
Environmental trauma
What is Workplace Trauma?
Workplace trauma happens when someone’s place of employment becomes a hostile, abusive, or dangerous environment.
Examples of experiences that can cause workplace trauma include:
Microaggressions
Emotionally reactive supervisors or leaders
Harassment, bullying, or violence
Power dynamics
Porous boundaries
Chronic pressure
Lack of support
What is Religious Trauma?
Religious trauma happens when someone’s religious beliefs or community becomes abusive, degrading, stressful, abusive, or damaging.
Examples of experiences that can cause religious trauma include:
Instilled shame or guilt
Loss of church or religious community
Isolation from loved ones, rejection, or ostracization
Controlling or manipulative behaviors
Physical, s-xual, or emotional abuse by religious leaders and community members
What is Vicarious Trauma?
Vicarious trauma happens when someone exposed to the traumatic experiences of other people.
Examples of experiences that can cause vicarious trauma include:
Healthcare workers exposed to people patients who are very sick, injured, or dying.
Firefighters and law enforcement workers who see people in dangerous situations.
Therapists, social workers, and service workers who are constantly exposed to the trauma stories of others.
Media exposure to traumatic events
What is Identity-based Trauma?
Identity-based trauma happens when someone experiences physical, s-xual, or emotional abuse due to their identity.
Examples of experiences that can cause identity-based trauma include:
Racism
Misogyny, Misogynoir, Femmephobia
Homophobia, Transphobia, Queerphobia
Ageism, Adultism
Ableism
Xenophobia
Religious-based discrimination
Other forms of identity-based bigotry
What is Environmental Trauma?
Environmental trauma happens when someone’s someone’s physical, emotional, or cognitive wellbeing is negatively impacted by harmful events in their community.
Examples of experiences that can cause environmental trauma include:
Lack of public resources
Police brutality
Neighborhood violence
Pollution
Food deserts
Poverty
What is a Trauma Response?
Trauma responses are ways that our bodies respond to trauma experiences and trauma triggers. These are often automatic and intended to protect us from potentially threatening stimuli.
Commonly-known trauma responses include:
Nightmares
Flashbacks
Hypervigilance
Intense fear or anxiety
Obsessiveness
Intrusive thoughts
What are Other Trauma Responses?
There are other, less well-known trauma responses that people experience. These can include:
Shutting down or emotional numbness
Avoidance or distraction
Poor attention, concentration, or cognitive ability
Hypersomnia or hyposomnia
Depersonalization (feeling someone else in control)
Derealization (feeling like life is not real)
Victim blaming (to self or others)
Increased s-xual libido, arousal, or desire
Decreased s-xual libido, arousal, or desire
Self-isolation or social withdrawal
Risk taking behaviors
Decreased empathy