What is trauma?
Trauma refers to a person’s emotional, psychological, and physical reaction to an event that is shocking and overwhelming and may involve death or threatened death, serious injury, or a threat to someone’s physical safety.
What are the common symptoms of trauma?
Each person reacts to trauma differently. Having said that, some common side effects of trauma are:
- Frequent nightmares
- Mood swings
- Weight loss or gain
- Difficulties sleeping – sleeping too much or struggling to sleep
- Startled easily & feeling on edge
- Fatigue
- Avoidance
- Feeling nauseous
- Self-medication with drugs and alcohol
- Self-harming behaviours
- Difficulty concentrating
- Isolation or withdrawal
- Challenges in relationships
- Feelings of anger, guilt or shame
If you can relate to some or all of these signs or are unsure what you are experiencing, speaking to one of the caring psychologists attending Brisbane Counselling Centre can help you gain clarity and lighten your mental burden. Getting professional help for trauma and receiving evidence-based psychological care is very effective in the treatment of trauma. The therapists at our clinic take several evidence-based treatment approaches to trauma, including EMDR, CBT, Exposure Therapy, and Psychodynamic therapy.
Trauma and other mental health conditions
Being exposed to trauma can lead to developing other mental health disorders, including depression or anxiety. If you had anxiety or depression before the traumatic event, trauma could make the symptoms of anxiety and depression worse. Often, the earlier you seek professional treatment from someone trained to deal with trauma following a traumatic event, the earlier you can start to work through the psychological issues, which helps to minimise the impact of the traumatic event on your mental health.
What is post-traumatic stress disorder?
The DSM-5 defines the cause of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as any situation where our life, physical or psychological integrity is threatened (in other words, a traumatic event). PTSD is a mental health diagnosis given by a qualified professional based on symptoms experienced as a result of trauma or prolonged stress.
The traumatic event can be a one-off situation, or it can be ongoing. You may have been involved in a traumatic situation yourself, or it may have happened to someone who you have a relationship with, like a work colleague or a relative. Alternatively, you may have witnessed a traumatic event happen to someone you don’t know.
Examples of significant traumatic events include:
- Divorce
- Ongoing or severe physical pain or injury (e.g. serious car accident)
- Community violence (e.g. shooting, mugging, burglary, assault, bullying)
- Sexual, emotional or physical abuse or neglect
- Rape or dating violence
- Domestic or family violence
- Natural disasters
- The death or severe injury of a loved one or family member, friend, teacher, or pet
- Witnessing an act of violence
- War
Examples of other traumatic events that may not be life-threatening but can still cause physical, emotional, spiritual or psychological harm include:
- Conflict with significant others or children
- Infidelity
- Conflict with supervisor/boss or colleagues
- Abrupt or extended relocation/move
- Planning a wedding
- Starting a new job
- Having or adopting a child
- Legal trouble
- Financial worries or difficulty
- Expensive and unplanned home repairs (e.g. after storm damage)
Diagnosis of PTSD
To be diagnosed with PTSD, a person must meet the following criteria, and the disturbance must be present for at least one month. The level of disruption must cause significant distress or impairment across several areas of a person’s life. The disturbance experienced by the person must not be due to medication, substance use, or any other medical condition.
Stressful Event
To obtain a diagnosis of PTSD, one must have been exposed to a stressful event, either through their own direct experience, witnessing someone else experience the stressful event, or learning about the exposure of a stressful event through someone who you are close to. First responders such as paramedics, police officers and firefighters can be at a heightened risk of developing PTSD, as they often experience repeated exposure to extreme and stressful events. Other high-stress work environments, such as hospitals, can also result in PTSD for healthcare professionals if trauma isn’t processed healthily.
Intrusive Symptoms
One or more of the following intrusive symptoms must be present to be diagnosed with PTSD:
- Recurring distressing memories
- Repeated nightmares
- Flashbacks of the stressor
- Intense psychological distress following reminders of the traumatic event
- Physical reactions (e.g. nausea) after being reminded of the stressful event.
Avoidance of stimuli
One or more of the following must be present to obtain a diagnosis of PTSD:
- One tends to avoid any memories or thoughts about the stressful event that create distress
- Tendency to avoid any external stimuli that act as a reminder of the trauma, including people, places and conversations.
Adverse shifts in mood and thoughts
At least two of the following need to be present to be diagnosed with PTSD:
- Unable to recall important parts of the stressor
- Inflated negative thoughts about oneself, the world, or others
- Blaming others, including yourself, for the trauma
- Continuity of negative emotional responses (e.g. fear or anger)
- Decreased interest in activities you would usually enjoy
- Feeling disconnected or separated from others
- Unable to feel positive emotions.
Variations in arousal and reactivity
Of the following, at least two need to be present to receive a diagnosis of PTSD:
- Irritability and angry outbursts
- Careless and self-destructive behaviour
- Hypervigilance
- Inflated startle response
- Difficulties concentrating
- Disrupted sleep pattern.
Complex PTSD (CPTSD)
Traumatic events are often one-off experiences or are limited by time, like a motor vehicle accident. However, there are situations where people experience ongoing trauma, in which a person gets repeatedly exposed to the trauma over many months or even years. An example of repeated trauma is if you experienced ongoing emotional, psychological, physical, or sexual abuse in your family or relationship. Childhood abuse is also, unfortunately, an all-too-common form of continuing trauma, as children usually lack the same level of agency to remove themselves from an unsafe environment or relationship that an adult might have.
Some people believe the current criteria for a PTSD diagnosis do not reflect the severity of the psychological harm that has occurred to a person who has been repeatedly traumatised. Repeated or ongoing exposure to trauma is often referred to as complex trauma, and can frequently result in the victim suffering from Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or CPTSD. Ongoing and prolonged trauma can interfere with a person’s development, memory, and ability to form meaningful relationships with others.
Symptoms of CPTSD
People who have endured long-term trauma tend to experience the same symptoms as post-traumatic stress disorder, along with disordered thoughts, behaviours and emotions. The symptoms that commonly affect someone with complex PTSD include:
- Challenges in being able to express their feelings effectively, often losing control, becoming explosive or feeling intense sadness constantly
- Incredibly negative beliefs about themselves, which can lead to feelings of guilt and shame
- Feelings of emptiness, loneliness and isolation
- Significant difficulties in being able to develop and maintain healthy relationships as they experience a lack of trust in others
How are PTSD and CPTSD treated?
The most effective way of treating PTSD and overcoming trauma is known as trauma therapy, which differs in treatment from general therapy. Trauma therapy often includes elements of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based CBT, exposure therapies including Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) in its various forms, and Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PET). Trauma counselling, provided in a safe and supportive space, can be particularly effective for those who have experienced traumatic events and are struggling with feelings of depression, stress, and anxiety as a result of their overwhelming experiences. Working with a trauma-informed therapist can help individuals manage distressing feelings and cope with traumatic memories.
Therapists help people with PTSD and CPTSD by offering specialised treatment and counselling. The previously mentioned techniques, as well as psychoeducation and skill development, are utilised in treatment for PTSD and CPTSD to improve mental health and well-being. The practitioners at Brisbane Counselling Centre emphasise creating a safe and supportive environment where individuals can explore their traumatic experiences and learn new skills to manage the distress in their lives more effectively.
We can help
Do you think you might have PTSD or CPTSD, or are you simply wondering why you feel different after a traumatic event? If so, it is crucial to seek assistance from a mental health professional to address the trauma you may have experienced, even if you think the event is small. Engaging in counselling with a supportive and understanding trauma-informed psychologist from Brisbane Counselling Centre as soon as possible will assist you to work through the distress effectively. There is growing evidence that many people who resolve traumas experience a phenomenon called post-traumatic growth. This growth means that not only do they recover, but they also make positive changes in their lives and cope more effectively than before the trauma. As a result of successfully working through trauma, we can change our worldview, leading to us developing new perspectives and life skills.
Reaching out for help takes a lot of courage, and we understand how challenging it can be to take that first step. However, you can rest assured that the practitioners at Brisbane Counselling Centre are highly trained in trauma assessment, creating a personalised client-centred treatment plan to meet each of your unique needs. This considered and sensitive approach ensures that, more often than not, people who seek therapy at the Centre find that they improve in a surprisingly short period, compared to the amount of time they have carried the trauma with them. Brisbane Counselling Centre offers a nurturing and supportive environment for anyone who has experienced trauma.
