Trauma occurs when an individual has experienced a distressing event that then leads to an emotional response. This emotional response can then lead to a number of physical symptoms occurring.
Traumatic events can have a negative impact on a person’s sense of safety as well as their sense of identity and their own ability to be able to regulate their emotions. This can then have an impact on the ways in which they manage relationships and in some cases this can lead to destructive behaviours such as self harming. Many people will look for ways in which they can help regulate these feelings and this can then lead to substance and alcohol abuse in some cases.
The impact of a traumatic event can continue long after the original event has passed. This is what makes trauma so complex to deal with. It is why people who work in care and education otten undertake Trauma informed training like that supplied by tidaltraining.co.uk/mental-health-courses/trauma-informed-practice-training to better understand how to support those experiencing trauma.
When symptoms of trauma occur such as dissociation and anxiety it can be common for the individual to look for coping mechanisms. In some cases the occurrence of other mental health conditions such as OCD and PTSD can become apparent. These conditions can have an impact on the individual’s ability to be able to carry out everyday activities.