Trauma

Trauma can be defined as any deeply distressing experience or emotional shock following a stressful event and can lead to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  Trauma falls under two categories: simple and complex.  Simple trauma indicates that an individual has been through a single traumatic event, for example a car accident or being attacked or seeing someone be attacked by a dog.  Complex trauma means that an individual has been through multiple or reoccurring traumas, such as being in combat or persistent neglect or abuse as a child.

Symptoms of simple PTSD can include:

• Flashbacks
• Nightmares
• Severe Anxiety
• Persistent focusing on or avoidance of thinking about the event
• Difficulty adjusting or coping with normal life function