Types of Trauma & PTSD

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Childhood Trauma, Relational Trauma, & Complex Trauma

What is posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?

PTSD is the acronym for posttraumatic stress disorder. Posttraumatic stress disorder traditionally has referred to as resulting from single events that a person has experienced or witnessed in which they believed that they would be seriously harmed and/or their life was in danger. Think of bombs going off around you in a war. PTSD is often referred to now as big T trauma or acute trauma. In recent years the term PTSD in popular culture has come to include not only single event trauma, but trauma in general.

“Little t trauma includes relational trauma, childhood trauma, and complex trauma.”

One of the most significant discoveries of the trauma field in the early 1990s was the realization that ongoing, events that are not necessarily life threatening or don’t involve serious bodily harm can be as psychologically damaging or more so than single traumatic, often dramatic events. We now know that this under the radar type of trauma affects many people. Therapists began to look more closely at these ongoing, seemingly innocuous events. Therapists began to recognize what has become known as little t trauma or chronic trauma. Little t trauma includes relational trauma, childhood trauma, and complex trauma.

What is relational trauma?

Relational trauma is a type of chronic trauma that refers to a pattern of damaging psychological events that occur in the context of relationships. The relationships may be with family, coworkers, friends, or any recurring relational interaction. They may include racial or other discrimination. The traumatic events might be obvious or subtle. For example, subtle events might include gaslighting by a narcissistic partner or a pattern of repeatedly being dismissed by a sibling. Narcissistic abuse is a common cause of relational trauma. If you have been the target of narcissistic abuse it is important to seek therapy from a therapist who understands narcissism as this type of traumatic abuse is easy to confuse with other problems.

“The effects of little t traumatic events are not immediately apparent but add up over time.”

Examples of obvious events include patterns of aggression towards a family member or living with an alcoholic. There are many types of relational trauma. Relational trauma can also overlap with acute trauma (PTSD). If you think you are suffering from relational trauma you should seek an assessment from a trauma-informed therapist for an accurate diagnosis and treatment.

The effects of little t traumatic events are not immediately apparent but add up over time. While a family member or friend may not be able to spot or understand the trauma you are being subjected to, a trauma-informed therapist will be able to understand what is happening to you. The therapist can explain to you what is occurring, teach you how to protect yourself from the situation if it is ongoing, and help you heal.

What is childhood trauma?

Childhood trauma refers to upsetting, damaging events that occur during childhood. The trauma may be acute, chronic or both. Among the more obvious childhood traumas, are child abuse, sexual abuse, beatings, harsh punishment, bullying, physical neglect, poverty, and living in unsafe conditions or neighborhoods. Among the less obvious childhood traumas are emotional neglect, narcissistic parents or siblings, and witnessing family violence. Again, this is not an exhaustive list. There are many types of childhood trauma and it is very common. Childhood trauma, like all trauma, can be emotionally scarring. Survivors often live with the emotional results daily. The new forms of trauma treatment can be extremely helpful in resolving the emotional impact of childhood trauma.

What is complex trauma?

Complex trauma (C-PTSD or CPTSD) refers to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which is complicated by symptoms of emotional dysregulation, negative self-beliefs, feelings of shame, guilt or failure about the trauma and interpersonal difficulties. It is associated with among other situations, chronic sexual, psychological, and physical abuse or neglect, chronic intimate partner violence, bullying, victims of kidnapping, hostage situations, and human trafficking.

“A trauma-informed therapist will recognize when more than one type of trauma has been experienced and how to treat the different types of trauma.”

It is possible to suffer from more than one type of trauma. Fortunately, the treatment of trauma across types is similar. A trauma-informed therapist will recognize when more than one type of trauma has been experienced and how to treat different types of trauma.

Do you have PTSD?

If you are wondering if you have posttraumatic stress disorder ask yourself if you have had any of these symptoms for more than one month:

• Exposed to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence.

• Repeated distressing memories of the event(s).

• Repeated distressing dreams about the event(s)

• Flashbacks of the event(s).

• Emotionally triggered by reminders of the event(s).

• Avoidance of thoughts, feelings, or memories of the event(s).

• Avoidance of people, places, conversations, activities, objects, or situations related to the event(s).

• Negative moods and thoughts related to the event(s).

• Increased reactivity associated with the event(s).

“If you suspect that you are suffering from PTSD you should seek the services of a trauma informed therapist for an accurate diagnosis.”

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), these symptoms are associated with PTSD. If you suspect that you are suffering from PTSD you should seek the services of a trauma-informed therapist for an accurate diagnosis. You may be suffering from a different condition and that is why it is important to get a professional opinion from an appropriately trained therapist. If you want an accurate diagnosis and/or psychotherapy for trauma read How To Find The Best Mental Health Therapist to learn how to find the best therapist for you.

Was my childhood traumatic?

It is easy to recognize traumatic events such as assault, a life-threatening accident, rape, or witnessing murder. Yet, the traumatic potential of many common events is not nearly so obvious. One method of identifying events in childhood that may have been traumatic is to take a test. Perhaps the best known measure of childhood trauma is the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Questionnaire. The questionnaire is scored from 0 to 10. The higher your score, the more potentially traumatizing events you have been exposed to. Research has shown that many people who endorse one or more items on the test suffer from mental health disorders even years later in adulthood. Of course, not everyone who endorses one or more of the items on the test experiences a mental health disorder. Many of the items describe common experiences.

“To learn your ACEs Score take the ten item Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Questionnaire.”

To learn your ACEs Score take the ten item Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Questionnaire for free (see below). The results are not diagnostic of childhood trauma or posttraumatic stress disorder. Diagnosis requires the expertise of a mental health professional. If you believe you may have childhood trauma or posttraumatic stress disorder you should seek the services of a licensed psychologist. If you want an accurate diagnosis and/or psychotherapy for trauma read How To Find The Best Mental Health Therapist to learn how to find the best therapist for you.

References

Mental Health America.© Copyright Mental Health America. (2022). Are some kinds of trauma worse than others? Retrieved 01:42, December 30, 2022, from https://screening.mhanational.org/content/all-trauma-same/

Wikipedia contributors. (2022, December 30). Complex post-traumatic stress disorder. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 02:32, December 30, 2022, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Complex_post-traumatic_stress_disorder&oldid=1130409438

Wikipedia contributors. (2022, December 17). Psychological trauma. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 01:42, December 30, 2022, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Psychological_trauma&oldid=1127968807