How to Know the Difference Between Trauma and PTSD
Trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are often linked together.
In fact, many people believe them to be interchangeable. It’s easy to see why. After all, both trauma and PTSD are well-known for negatively impacting people’s lives.
While trauma and PTSD are certainly related, they are different. Understanding those differences can help you to identify what you’re dealing with and how to find the most advantageous treatment for each condition.
Let’s take a closer look at how they differ from one another.
What Is Trauma?
Trauma is experiencing a highly distressing or disturbing event or series of events that cause a negative emotional response.
There are also various types of trauma a person can experience, including:
Psychological trauma
Physical trauma
Medical trauma
Military trauma
Trauma from natural disasters
Many different situations fall into these categories of trauma. You may have been a victim of domestic violence for years. Or, maybe you survived a horrible car accident.
Because there are so many types of trauma and different ways in which people experience trauma, the reactions and side-effects can vary greatly.
Your emotional response to a traumatic event may be different from someone else’s. But, experiencing trauma can lead to things like emotional or behavioral issues that negatively impact your life.
The effects of trauma can be so severe that they may start to become debilitating and lead to mental health issues like depression, anxiety, or PTSD.
What Is PTSD?
Trauma is an emotional response to a negatively impacting event. PTSD is a potential side-effect of that trauma. It’s a mental health disorder that people often develop when dealing with a traumatic history.
Furthermore, it doesn’t necessarily have to occur right away. Some people experience PTSD long after a traumatic event has occurred.
PTSD often causes the individual to re-live the traumatic event(s). This can occur through things like flashbacks, vivid imagery, and even nightmares.
People suffering from PTSD often have trouble sleeping. They may also be afraid of social situations and have a negative outlook on life.
Because the effects of PTSD can be so severe, it’s not uncommon for individuals dealing with it to suffer from other mental health issues such as depression.
Remember, however, not everyone who experiences a traumatic event will develop PTSD. People’s reactions to life events are as unique as they are.
While a certain event may be extremely traumatic to one person, another may have a totally different emotional response. For this reason, it’s important to understand the difference between trauma and PTSD.
Treating Trauma and PTSD
One similarity between trauma and PTSD is that ignoring the negative impact can be detrimental to your overall wellbeing. Both can cause symptoms that make it difficult for you to live as you normally would.
Unfortunately, without some type of treatment or management plan in place, those symptoms may continue to get worse with time. PTSD can develop later on in life if the issues associated with your trauma were never resolved.
Both of these issues can be treated in various ways. Therapy is often necessary to get through the effects of both trauma and/or PTSD.
Moreover, a therapist can help you to identify your triggers when it comes to PTSD. They will work with you to overcome the negative side effects.
Moving forward
If you’re struggling with the effects of trauma or PTSD, or you want to know more about either, contact the clinical staff at Mind Body Wellness to learn more about trauma therapy or Mind Body Wellness Skills groups.
Recognizing these issues is often the first step on a journey to find freedom once again, taking control of your life.
If you’re ready to start your healing journey, click below to schedule a free consultation at your convenience.
