Trauma is a deeply disturbing experience for an individual. It is often associated with an excessive amount of stress beyond an individual’s ability to cope with it. Trauma may occur due to a single disturbing event or due to multiple recurring distressing problems on a long term basis. In this article, we will pinpoint the different types of trauma disorders.
Let’s dig into the topic.
What Is Trauma?
So, we may wonder what is trauma and it’s types? Trauma may be defined as a very difficult experience for an individual and which causes mental or emotional problems usually for a long time.
Different Types Of Trauma Disorders
Main types of trauma may be categorized as-
- Acute trauma: It results from a single event or incident.
- Chronic trauma: It results from repeated and prolonged incidents like domestic violence or abuse.
- Complex trauma: If an individual has to face multiple and various traumatic events and these events often have a wide-ranging and long term impact on emotional and mental health, they may suffer from complex trauma.
Some Types Of Traumatic Events
Violent events or events lead to trauma. Here are some types of traumatic events-
1. Sexual Abuse Or Assault
Sexual violence like rape, child molestation, and other forms of sexual contact is considered as sexual abuse. Any type of forcible sexual contact has an impact on an individual’s emotional and mental health.
Child molestation is also a form of sexual abuse in which often the victim has no idea about sex. This abuse later haunts the victim for all of life. Some victims commit suicide because of mental stress and they also feel shame and guilt about themselves.
Fear, hatred, depression, feeling alone, anger, confusion, sadness, etc are also seen in a victim who suffers from sexual abuse.
2. Physical Abuse Or Assault
Most of the physical abuse occurs at home. Children and women are the main victims of this type of abuse. Often out of anger, the father gives punishment to his children. This punishment has a deep connection to build up mental trauma. In some cases, teachers also give punishment which later turns into mental health problems.
3. Domestic Violence
Domestic violence can have serious effects on mental health. And can cause problems like Post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, etc. This is a natural response to experiencing trauma and is also a key reason behind it.
4. Natural Disaster
Natural disasters produce high levels of stress, anxiety, depression, anger, etc in those who are sufferers. Thus leads to mental trauma.
5. Bullying
Bullying is a social stressor for causing mental trauma in children and adolescents. It is a long-lasting type of interpersonal aggression from a person (perpetrator), where the victims are constantly exposed to violent actions over a long period for this it increases some emotional health problems.
Plus an individual struggles to defend against these actions, so they feel helpless.
6. Accident
An accident like a road traffic accident or train collision etc not only leads injury to a person but also affects their mental health. The person who encountered an accident becomes vulnerable in handling any difficult situations. They always suffer from stress, anxiety, and depression. Their minds are always full of fear and grief.
They develop phobia, particularly about traveling. Some don’t want to climb tall buildings. Some also develop water phobia. So, any sort of accident hampers us.
7. Other Events
Community violence, assault with weapons, life-threatening injury or illness, robbery, beaten by a stranger, accident like fire or explosion, exposure to a toxic substance, witnessing violent death, threat of violence, etc are some events that have the potential to cause mental trauma.
What Is The Most Common Type Of Trauma?
According to statistics, the most common type of trauma is the unexpected death of a beloved one like relative, friend, family member. This unexpected death has a huge impact on our mind and also raise the risk of depression, excessive use of drugs, and alcohol.
Anxiety disorders like panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), etc are also noticeable when a person hears death news of a beloved one.
Trauma disorders are mental illnesses that can be caused by traumatic events. There are some types of trauma disorders-
1. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Clinical manifestation of PTSD are continuous frightening thoughts, bad memories about the distressing incident or events, etc.
Other symptoms like sleep deprivation, jumpiness, problems in study or academic performances, avoidance of specific places, problems in eating and digestion, headaches, depression, or even stomach pains are also seen in the case of Post Trauma Stress Disorder.
2. Acute Stress Disorder (ASD)
The indications of Acute Stress Disorder may seem similar to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but an individual suffers from it within the first month after experiencing the trauma.
Immediate management and proper guidance may decrease the possibility of Acute Stress Disorder in developing into Post Trauma Stress Disorder.
3. Adjustment Disorders
These are unhealthy reactions when an individual faces nerve-wracking events or alterations in his or her life. It can be emotional reactions like feeling nervous or depressed mood. It also can be behavioral reactions like misconduct with others or violations of any privileges of others.
4. Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD)
A person with RAD has a limited emotional investment in others. They do not want to share their feelings with others. Even they feel no physical intimacy.
Some symptoms like impulsiveness, inappropriate behaviors or negative behaviors, problems in trusting, have an absence of empathy, lack of control, anxiety, depression, etc are also seen in an individual’s suffering from RAD. Thus leads to struggle in relationships with others.
5. Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder (DSED)
There are two attachment disorders. One is RAD and another is DSED, which affects children particularly below 18 years old. Children suffering from this, find it hard to connect with others deeply.
An individual shows with friendly behavior. They become talkative to strangers. Some feel no hesitation around unknown people. They do not seek permission from parents when they go out with unknown people. Even hugging with unknown people may seem normal to them.
6. Others
Specified trauma and stressors related disorder, Unspecified trauma, and stressors related disorder are very rare forms of traumatic disorders. Unlike other traumatic disorders, they are distinctive. These types of traumatic disorders should only be evaluated by Psychiatrists and Psychologists.
Above this discussion, we can get an idea about different types of trauma. Trauma is unpredictable and nourish by some critical events in our life. Trauma is also responsible for emotional and mental health problems. So, all types of traumatic disorders should consider with proper care and further evaluation should be taken.
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