Psychological trauma (also known as mental trauma, psychiatric trauma, emotional damage, or psychotrauma) is an emotional response caused by severe distressing events that are outside the normal range of human experiences. It must be understood by the affected person as directly threatening the affected person or their loved ones with death, severe bodily injury, or sexual violence; indirect exposure, such as from watching television news, may be extremely distressing and can produce an involuntary and possibly overwhelming physiological stress response, but does not produce trauma per se. Examples include violence, rape, or a terrorist attack.[1]
Short-term reactions such as psychological shock and psychological denial are typically followed. Long-term reactions and effects include bipolar disorder, uncontrollable flashbacks, panic attacks, insomnia, nightmare disorder, difficulties with interpersonal relationships, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Physical symptoms including migraines, hyperventilation, hyperhidrosis, and nausea are often developed.[2]
As subjective experiences differ between individuals, people react to similar events differently. Most people who experience a potentially traumatic event do not become psychologically traumatized, though they may be distressed and experience suffering.[3] Some will develop PTSD after exposure to a traumatic event, or series of events.[4][5] This discrepancy in risk rate can be attributed to protective factors some individuals have, that enable them to cope with difficult events, including temperamental and environmental factors, such as resilience and willingness to seek help.[6]
Psychotraumatology is the study of psychological trauma.
^Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Trauma and Shock". American Psychological Association. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
^Storr CL, Ialongo NS, Anthony JC, Breslau N (2007). "Childhood antecedents of exposure to traumatic events and post-traumatic stress disorder". American Journal of Psychiatry. 164 (1): 119–25. doi:10.1176/ajp.2007.164.1.119. PMID 17202553.
^Karg RS, Bose J, Batts KR, Forman-Hoffman VL, Liao D, Hirsch E, et al. (October 2014). "Past year mental disorders among adults in the United States: results from the 2008–2012 Mental Health Surveillance Study". CBHSQ Data Review. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US). PMID 27748100. Among individuals who do develop post-traumatic stress after exposure to a traumatic event, some develop symptoms sufficient to meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD
^Forman-Hoffman VL, Bose J, Batts KR, Glasheen C, Hirsch E, Karg RS, Huang LN, Hedden SL (April 2016). "Correlates of lifetime exposure to one or more potentially traumatic events and subsequent posttraumatic stress among adults in the United States: results from the mental health surveillance study, 2008–2012.". CBHSQ data review. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US). PMID 27748101.
^Wingo, Aliza P, Ressler KJ, Bradley B (2014). "Resilience characteristics mitigate tendency for harmful alcohol and illicit drug use in adults with a history of childhood abuse: A cross-sectional study of 2024 inner-city men and women". Journal of Psychiatric Research. 51: 93–99. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2014.01.007. PMC 4605671. PMID 24485848.
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