Trauma
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Clinically Reviewed By: Corey Pitts, MA, LCMHCS, LPC, LCAS, CCS
What is trauma?
Trauma refers to a deeply distressing response to traumatic events that overwhelm your ability to cope, such as interpersonal violence, accidents, or loss. While each person's response to trauma varies, it can be useful to recognize both the event(s) and how the body/mind respond to these event(s) to promote healing. There are a few main types:
- Single-incident trauma: A response to one specific distressing event, such as a car accident or an assault
- Complex trauma: A response that builds from multiple traumatic events, often repeated over time
- Developmental trauma: A response to distressing experiences during childhood, while a person is still growing
Trauma may also show up in your body alongside emotional distress. Common physical reactions include ongoing fatigue or low energy, disrupted sleep, a racing heartbeat, and hypervigilance (feeling constantly on edge).
One thing worth knowing is that trauma may affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or background, and experiencing it is never a sign of weakness.
What are common trauma symptoms?
Trauma’s symptoms show up across the mind and body, and they may surface immediately following a distressing event or long afterward. Recognizing them is often the first step toward getting the right support.
Emotional and psychological symptoms
After experiencing trauma, you might feel emotional distress that includes anxiety, shame, grief, or even a sense of numbness, like you're going through the motions without really feeling much. While none of these reactions are inherently wrong, it may be useful to reflect further on in relation to its potential impacts on you.
Intrusive thoughts are another common experience. Recurring memories or distressing images of the event may pop up unexpectedly. To cope, you might lean into avoidance, steering clear of the people, places, or situations that remind you of what happened.
Physical and behavioral symptoms
Trauma often shows up in your body and behavior, too, sometimes in ways you might not connect back to what you went through. A few common signs include:
- Physical reactions: Headaches, fatigue, muscle tension, or changes in sleep and appetite may emerge after traumatic stress.
- Coping behaviors: Some people may withdraw socially or develop a substance use disorder, trying to manage their distress.
- Impact on your relationships: Trauma may affect your ability to trust others or feel safe in close relationships.
If you are struggling with substance use, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) to receive support and resources. Support is available 24/7.
These responses are your mind and body trying to protect you, even when they make daily life more challenging. Noticing them without judgment may help you understand what kind of support might serve your mental health best.
How may trauma-informed care help?
Healing from trauma doesn’t mean you have to “just get over it” or force yourself to move on. It's about finding support that understands what you've been through. That's the idea behind trauma-informed care:an approach that recognizes how widespread the impact of traumatic experiences may be and integrates that awareness into therapy. Instead of asking "What's wrong with you?" it asks "What happened to you?" which may make a real difference in how supported you feel.
Within this approach, certain evidence-based therapies may help you process what happened, such as cognitive processing therapy (CPT) and EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing). CPT is a structured approach that helps you identify and reframe unhelpful beliefs tied to a traumatic event, while EMDR uses guided eye movements to help your brain soften distressing memories. Both may help people who have experienced trauma build coping skills at a manageable pace.
For those who have experienced multiple traumatic events, longer-term, specialized support may be especially helpful. This is because complex trauma often takes more time and care.
Sometimes trauma symptoms stick around and start to seriously disrupt daily life and mental health. When that happens, speaking with a licensed therapist, such as those at BetterHelp, may be a helpful next step toward understanding your symptoms and exploring more targeted support.
How may online therapy support people who have experienced trauma?
When you've been through something traumatic, the idea of sitting in a waiting room or driving to an office for an in-person appointment may feel like too much. Online therapy may offer a more flexible, discreet alternative by letting you get support from a space you're already comfortable in. You may connect with a licensed therapist through video, phone, or live chat, without needing to travel to an office. And with in-app messaging, you may reach out between sessions, which may be a comfort when trauma symptoms surface unexpectedly.
Online therapy could offer you relief. One peer-reviewed clinical trial found that online trauma-focused therapy, such as CBT, showed an association with significant reductions in trauma symptoms. With BetterHelp, you may be matched with a licensed therapist within an average of 24–48 hours after signing up, so support doesn't have to feel far away when you're ready to take that step.
Frequently asked questions
Is trauma the same as post-traumatic stress disorder?
No. Trauma refers to a person's response to distressing events, while post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a specific diagnosis that may occur when trauma symptoms persist and significantly impair functioning.
Do I need a diagnosis to seek therapy for traumatic experiences?
No. Anyone may seek therapy for traumatic stress or emotional distress, regardless of whether they have received a formal diagnosis.
Is trauma therapy only for people who have experienced interpersonal violence?
No. Trauma may result from a wide range of experiences, and trauma therapy may be helpful for anyone whose daily functioning is affected by traumatic stress.
Can trauma affect physical health?
Research suggests physical reactions such as fatigue, sleep disruption, and muscle tension may accompany the psychological effects of trauma.
Can complex trauma be addressed in therapy?
Yes. A licensed therapist may work with people who have experienced multiple traumatic events to develop coping skills and process their experiences.
This article provides general information and does not constitute medical or therapeutic advice. Mentions of diagnoses or therapy/treatment options are educational and do not indicate availability through BetterHelp in your country.
BetterHelp insurance availability, coverage, and cost may vary by state, plan, provider network, therapist availability, and deductible status.