Trauma is the natural response of a person to a disturbing experience. And research has shown that approximately 60 percent of adults experienced disturbing experiences such as abuse or severe family issues in their childhood. A mental health therapist can classify these experiences into three types of trauma.
There are various types and subtypes of trauma that affect a person differently. They are acute trauma, chronic trauma, and complex trauma. This article will be focusing on all of them, including the necessary subtypes.
Read on to know more about the three types and subtypes of trauma.
1. Acute Trauma
A traumatic event that happened only once in your life is called Acute trauma. The disturbing experience is specific and defined with a beginning, middle, and end.
Acute trauma may include experiences from a car accident, physical altercation, serious injury, natural disaster, sexual assault or rape, and witnessing a violent event.
People vary from one another. That is why they may react differently to specific circumstances. Some might have symptoms immediately after the event. Others may experience the symptoms months or weeks after the incident. And a portion of them may not have any response at all over an acute traumatic event.
All response for this type of trauma is normal, but if the symptoms are unprocessed, the person may experience a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
2. Chronic Trauma
Chronic trauma is a result of ongoing and prolonged abuse. This type of trauma may continue for an extended period. It may occur for several weeks, months, or even years. Chronic trauma typically happens within a relationship. Below are some of the subtypes of chronic trauma.
1. Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)
Intimate partner violence is all about the abuse that occurs within a romantic relationship. IPV can be financial, physical, or sexual abuse. Here, there is a frequent manipulation of the perpetrator over the victim, and they use different strategies to maintain the relationship.
Most of the victims will have to think of leaving the relationship many times but often stay instead. Mostly, the victims' reasons for remaining in the relationship are lack of resources due to having them withheld by the abusive partner, fear of abusive repercussions, and so on.
Bullying
Bullying is one of the subtypes of chronic trauma. It is incorrect to believe that it only occurs in childhood because adults experience it too, especially in their workplace. Bullying can be mental and physical, and it can affect a person’s self-worth and self-esteem.
3. Complex Trauma
This type of trauma is a result of an event that resulted in long-term physical or emotional symptoms. Complex trauma can be the most serious of all three classifications as it can affect the overall well-being of a person. And if the victim is a child, there is a high chance of developing severe psychological distress.
Final Thoughts
All types of trauma can result in much worse conditions. It will not bring any good if you choose to keep it to yourself. You are not alone—help is available. If you are struggling with trauma, don’t be afraid to seek professional treatment.
If you need mental health services, schedule an appointment here at the Hope Seed Support Center. We are a counseling center in Houston that offers physical and virtual therapy sessions for people who have trouble managing addiction, anger, grief, behavioral issues, PTSD, trauma, and other concerns. Drop a call or an email to learn more.
