Trauma (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)

Sometimes in life we have experiences which we find hard to understand, adjust to or cope with. Any event or incident can be considered traumatic if it is very upsetting, scary, shocking or causes physical or emotional harm directly (to them) or indirectly (to someone else). As people cope and manage with situations differently, people will experience situations differently and will cope differently. There is no right or wrong way to respond to difficult, upsetting or frightening experiences.

It is understandable that after a difficult, upsetting or frightening experience people may experience difficulties or changes such as:

• Intense and variable emotions such as swinging from feeling ok to feeling upset, angry, confused, on edge or anxious or even numb, and anywhere in between
• Feeling physically unwell such as feeling sick, heart racing, breathing quicker
• Having disrupted sleep not being able to get to sleep or stay asleep or sleeping too much
• Losing their appetite
• Changes to how sociable they are (not wanting to be around other people or not wanting to be on their own)
• Finding it hard to concentrate on things and not being interested in stuff that you used to care about

All these things are understandable and normal when you’ve been through a really tough time. For most people these difficulties and changes will only last a few days or weeks. With love and support from those around you, you will adjust and cope.

For some people, having a difficult experience can be very traumatic. A person may experience trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after a single traumatic (upsetting or frightening) incident or many traumatic events. People who are experiencing trauma may experience symptoms such as:

• flashbacks (this is when a person may feel or act as though a traumatic event is happening again)
• nightmares
• anxiety and feeling ‘on edge’
• up and down emotions (such as feeling tearful, irritable or numb)

These symptoms often last many weeks or months and can really impact on how people cope every day. Activities like going to school, seeing friends and even sleeping and eating are affected. If you are experiencing symptoms like these and they have lasted longer than a month, it might be a good idea to get some help.

It is important to remember that not everyone who experiences a difficult or traumatic event will experience psychological trauma (or PTSD) and that it is normal to feel upset and struggle to cope after a difficult or upsetting event.