Trauma is essentially the psychological and emotional effect on a person or group after an impactful life event or events. There are five types of trauma:
- 1. Simple Trauma refers to the trauma of one event.
- 2. Complex Trauma refers to the compounding trauma of multiple impactful life events that has long-term effects.
- 3. Developmental Trauma refers to complex trauma experienced early in life, and includes aspects such as experiencing ongoing neglect and/or abandonment from caregivers
- 4. Intergenerational Trauma refers to trauma that is passed down through generations; an example of this in Canada is how our history of residential schools continues to impact Indigenous people.
- 5. Historical Trauma refers to the trauma experienced by a group of people over the course of generations after a significant traumatic event was experienced as a group; examples of this include war, slavery, and genocide.
Trauma can Impact People in the Following Ways:
- Difficulty forming healthy attachments with other
- Difficulty maintaining relationships with other
- Physical reactions to stress such as hyperventilation
- Recurrent headaches
- Recurrent stomach-aches
- Abnormally sensitive or insensitive responses to sensory stimulation
- Insomnia
- Fatigue
- Symptoms of depression
- Symptoms of anxiety
- Difficulty with mood regulation or mood swings
- Low self-esteem
- Emotional numbing
- Dissociation that can include mental detachment, feelings of fogginess, or feelings of being trapped in a dream-like state
- Loss of short-term and long-term memories
- Difficulty with problem solving and organization
- Higher risk of developmental delays
- Higher risk of developing chronic illness