Understanding Trauma
I’ve underestimated trauma. Most my life I reserved the word “trauma” for other people. It was nothing I needed to worry about. I had a great childhood and didn’t experience any “traumatic events” by my definition. I considered trauma an adjective to describe something that is extreme or drastic.
Spoiler alert: I was wrong. I had no idea what trauma really was, how it can be different for each person, and how it affects the human physiology and can appears in our day-to-day experiences. I’m much older now and married to a First Responder and I still don’t have it down. However, over the last 2 years specifically, I’ve been learning more and more about trauma through peer-support and therapy. I’ll share what I’ve learned so far in hopes you can relate to even just one thing and know you are not alone as you navigate your unique experience.
According to Psychology Today, the American Psychiatric Association's definition of trauma includes experiencing, witnessing in person, or learning about an event to a family member or close friend that includes exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violence.
A study was done across 24 countries with a combined sample of 68 894 adult respondents across six continents. They assessed exposure to 29 traumatic event types and found that over 70% of respondents reported one traumatic event but only 30.5% were exposed to four or more. Now, consider the world of military personel or first responders. They could very well be exposed to 4 or more traumatic events in 1 day. Without the proper understanding to what that traumatic exposure is doing to their bodies so we can find a way to support, we’ll continue to lose these community members to mental health illnesses such as addiction or suicide.
I’ve started with the context above because it’s important to understand that the job, by nature, puts our front-line workers, whether that be First Responders, Military or Medical personnel, in a class of their own when it comes to consistent exposure to trauma. To be frank, their brains do not work like yours or mine anymore (assuming you may be the support person). They’ve experienced enough “trauma” as defined above to alter the way that they see the world, communicate, and experience life.
Pro Tip: Get comfortable with the fact our lives are different from the majority of the population because you are, or you love, a First Responder or Veteran.
The second thing you need to understand is that a traumatic event can affect individuals differently based on their experience. Similar to the concept that each person experiences every situation in life differently based on their knowledge at the time, values, beliefs, etc. This concept follows that principal, but it seems to be less “obvious” when put into the framework of traumatic events. This is something I had to come to terms with (I had to stop judging my own situation). It’s so easy to say things like “Why did he quit? He knew what he was getting himself in to.” or “You have to be tough for this job.” The reality is that no one knows how they’re going to react until it happens. They don’t know which details will matter, and which ones won’t. They don’t know which image will stick in their mind and which will fade. And perhaps most importantly, they don’t know the feelings the incident will provoke. The lack of understanding here, may be contributing to the stigma around mental health as it pertains to traumatic stress injury. The culture of stoicism and self-reliance within the First Responder & Military community can act as a barrier to seeking help and support. This makes acknowledging vulnerability or seeking professional help particularly hard, leading many to suffer in silence rather than reach out for assistance.
Don’t further the stigma. Be open to the possibility of other’s unique experiences. Encourage transparent conversations. And explore areas you may be passing judgements for (potentially unintentionally) due to a lack of understanding.
Understanding the Effects of Traumatic Stress:
Understanding the nuanced and multifaceted nature of trauma is crucial in providing effective support and understanding. Trauma can disrupt neural pathways, leading to symptoms such as flashbacks, anxiety, depression, and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which comes with its own unique set of symptoms like hypervigilance, nightmares, and anger. Trauma often causes a pervasive sense of fear, helplessness, and disconnection. These could appear as anxiety, overreaction, need to control, etc. Individuals may also experience intrusive memories or thoughts, nightmares, and flashbacks.
Trauma can also erode trust, both in oneself and in others, leading to difficulties forming and maintaining relationships as doubt becomes prevalent. The psychological aftermath of trauma often extends beyond the event itself, shaping beliefs about safety, control, and worthiness. Changing beliefs or irrational safety concerns can feel oppositional making it hard to connect to those around you. Over time, these symptoms can erode resilience and coping mechanisms, making individuals more vulnerable to the effects of trauma.
Continuous navigation & identification of the effects of traumatic stress will take knowledge, compassion, resilience, and support. It’s crucial we understand the effects of trauma, watch for symptoms in ourselves or loved ones, and create a safe space for connection and comradery.
Overall, trauma is a deeply personal experience, manifesting uniquely in each individual. The impact of trauma is influenced by many factors. What may be traumatic for one person might not have the same effect on another. Additionally, individuals process and cope with trauma in many different ways; some may develop a small variety of symptoms and others may develop many symptoms and/or develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Contrarily, others may exhibit resilience and adaptability. Despite these challenges & differences, it's important to recognize that the effects of trauma are not a sign of weakness, but a normal response to abnormal circumstances.
