Adult Trauma can impact an individual’s thoughts, emotions, behaviors and reactions to everyday situations. Trauma can happen as a result of one traumatic incident or be ongoing as a result of multiple incidents of abuse, neglect, violence, or emotional harm. Many adults can meaningfully process traumatic experiences and obtain a more sense of safety and control with the proper help.
What is Adult Trauma?
Adult Trauma is the emotional and psychological reaction to an experience that is overwhelming, threatening or very upsetting. Any person in any situation, at any age, can experience a traumatic event.
Trauma can be caused by anything from a serious accident, assault, abuse, natural disaster, sudden loss, domestic violence, combat or any frightening event. Encounters with stressful or unsafe situations can also have long-term consequences.
Not all trauma will result in a mental health condition. Most start to feel better over time, but some may have symptoms that continue to affect their relationships, work, sleep or daily life.
Common Causes of Trauma in Adults
Many experiences may be traumatic. Common causes include:
- Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse
- Domestic and/or relationship violence
- Serious accidents or injuries
- Natural disasters or other emergencies
- Resist or experience violence
- Unexpected and sudden death
- Adolescent experiences that impact into adulthood
- Bullying, harassment or emotional abuse that occurs again and again
- Experiencing a major injury or violent incident
Do not assume that a person has to witness an event in order to be affected by it. Experiencing a traumatic event or learning the trauma of something that occurred to someone near them can also help trigger symptoms of trauma.
Adult Trauma Symptoms
The symptoms of Adult Trauma may manifest in emotional, physical, cognitive, and behavioral ways. Symptoms can occur right away or months or even years after.
Common signs include:
- Memories you don’t want or memories that are disturbing
- Nightmares or bad dreams
- A feeling of anxiety, fear or always on edge
- Irritability or anger
- Difficulty sleeping
- Trouble concentrating
- Stay away from others, objects or places related to it
- Emotional numbness/detachment
- Guilt, shame or constant sadness
- Being easily startled
- Depression of activities
- Changes in relationships or social behavior.
The symptoms do not necessarily mean that someone has PTSD. Symptoms can be evaluated by a qualified mental health professional who can determine the duration of the symptoms and the effects on daily functioning.
How Adult Trauma Affects Daily Life
The impact of trauma can be greater than memories of the traumatic event. An individual can grow more cautious, nervous of some situations, or have a tough time with trustworthiness.
Stress from trauma can make it difficult to focus, communicate and make decisions at work. When irritability occurs at home, it might cause conflict with partners or the family. The sleep issues can also make one feel tired and less capable of taking care of daily stress.
Some adults attempt to cope by isolating themselves from people or by using drugs or alcohol. These answers can help in the short term, but can cause other difficulties down the road.
The positive is that trauma symptoms can heal. Treatment by people they know and trusted and professional care can be essential in recovery.
Get Support for Trauma-Related Symptoms
You don’t have to cope with trauma yourself if it is having an impact on your sleep, your relationships, your work or your enjoyment of life. WellMind Therapy Center offers personalized mental health care in a compassionate way. If you are concerned about your child, call WellMind Therapy Center today to discuss the steps to take and how we can help.
Adult Trauma and PTSD: What’s the Difference?
Adult Trauma and Adult PTSD are different, but related.
Trauma refers to the reactions of the emotions or mind to an upsetting experience. Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition which can arise after trauma or exposure to a potentially traumatic event.
Trauma can cause challenging reactions, and usually people slowly get better. PTSD is characterized by chronic symptoms that cause lasting problems and disrupt significant aspects of life. Symptoms can include re-experiencing the event, avoidance, increased stress and reactivity, and negative thoughts or mood.
Only a qualified professional will be able to judge if the symptoms fit the criteria for PTSD.
How Adult Trauma is Treated
Individual mental health treatment can help resolve Adult Trauma. The strategy is tailored to the individual’s symptoms, past, and future plans, along with their current context.
Treatment can be psychotherapy, coping skills, medications (if appropriate), or a combination of treatment modalities. Therapy can teach a person about trauma responses, recognize potential triggers, teach more healthy coping mechanisms, and help to process difficult thoughts and feelings.
Evidence-based psychotherapy is an important treatment option for PTSD. For some, medication might also be recommended.
Recovery is not about forgetting, or pretending it never took place. It is about finding ways to minimise the effects and get on with life more confidently.
Therapy Approaches for Adult Trauma
For adults who have trauma-related symptoms, there are several types of therapy that might be beneficial.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT can be used to recognize and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors that can trigger distress and build healthier reactions.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT): This therapy can be used to explore challenging thoughts and memories associated with a trauma, such as guilt, shame or self-blame.
Prolonged Exposure Therapy: This evidence-based therapy is designed to slowly help individuals confront trauma reminders and memories in a safe and structured manner.
Supportive Therapy: For some adults, a supportive environment where they have the opportunity to talk about feelings, get better at coping, and develop healthier patterns really works.
The answer will vary from person to person. Professional advice is available to help decide on the appropriate option.
When to Seek Help for Adult Trauma
Seek professional help if the symptoms are persistent and worsening or if they are impacting on functioning. If you are having trouble sleeping, in relationships, focusing, worrying, anger, avoiding, or having memories, you may benefit from help.
Help is also needed if you feel you can’t cope or if you see that using alcohol or drugs is becoming a way to deal with emotional problems.
Acknowledging there is help does not imply weakness. Trauma can manifest in a variety of ways and support is crucial to healing.
Make a step forward to healing.
You should be supported the way you know how to be supported without being judged. WellMind Therapy Center is here to support adults in becoming more aware of the symptoms of trauma and learn healthy coping tools to support emotional wellness. Call WellMind Therapy Center today to find out about the mental health services offered and book an appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions About Adult Trauma
Can trauma change the way an adult responds to stressful situations?
Yes. It is possible for the nervous system to become more sensitive to perceived dangers as a result of trauma. An adult may experience easily startled, tense, irritable, avoidant, or excessive alertness in experiences that remind them of prior experiences.
Why do some traumatic memories feel difficult to forget?
Traumatic events can evoke strong emotional and physical reactions. Reminders can cause distressing thoughts, feelings, dreams or memories to come back even when the person is safe at the time. These reactions can lessen with appropriate support and care.
Can adult trauma cause changes in sleep patterns?
Yes. It can be hard to fall asleep, stay asleep or get a good night’s rest due to trauma-related symptoms. For some adults nightmares or increased alertness can occur in the night and impact their energy, concentration and mood in the day.
Can trauma affect concentration and decision-making?
Yes. Stress, intrusive memories, disturbance sleep and increased alertness can make it more difficult to concentrate. After a traumatic event, some adults might find themselves distracted, mentally fatigued or less confident when making decisions in everyday situations.
Why can certain places, sounds, or situations trigger traumatic memories?
The brain can link facts associated with trauma with a sense of threat. Later, an event, place, smell, conversation or situation could remind him or her of what has occurred and activate a stress response even if the individual is not in danger.