The Common Myths About Trauma and Traumatic Experiences

The common myths about trauma and traumatic experiences

“Well, that was traumatizing!” You’ve likely heard someone describe a moment of distress or severe discomfort as being traumatic — like running into an ex at the grocery store or messing up a big presentation at work. As much as certain events can feel acutely painful or stressful, the word trauma is often overused and generalized, negating the very real pain and suffering of those who have in fact experienced trauma.

Stress vs. trauma, what is the difference?

By definition, trauma refers to the emotional consequences that present themselves after experiencing a traumatic event or ongoing challenging circumstances that place certain populations at risk (e.g. systemic racism). Traumatic events or circumstances are uniquely personal and look different for everyone, since everyone experiences and reacts to things differently. They can be single occurrences, like a violent car crash or being sexually assaulted, or they can be occurrences that took place over a longer period of time, such as neglect, immigration from another country or sexual abuse during childhood.

While stressful events feel terrible in the moment, a traumatic event or circumstance causes a longer-term emotional response. Symptoms of someone who has experienced trauma include feelings of despair and horror, withdrawing from others, depression, nausea and lack of appetite. If left untreated, someone who has witnessed a traumatic event may develop a more serious condition called post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) — a condition characterized by avoidance and re-living the event over and over again.

Common myths about trauma

Myth 1: If you’ve experienced a traumatic event, you have PTSD

Not everyone who experiences a traumatic event will have PTSD. PTSD can develop when someone experiences a traumatic event and does not receive help right away. If someone experiences a traumatic event and gets the support they need right away, like working with a mental health professional, they will be less likely to develop a long-term mental health condition like PTSD.

Myth 2: Trauma is all in your head

Our reactions to a traumatic event do stem from our own thoughts, perceptions and sensitivities to the world around us. However, this doesn’t make them any less real. In fact, someone who has experienced a traumatic event can have physical symptoms like nausea or dizziness.

Myth 3: Traumatic events have to involve death

There is no single definition for a traumatic event because that depends on the person experiencing the event and their reaction to it. While death is a common cause of trauma, not everyone will be traumatized by it. Other common examples of traumatic events include being robbed, seeing violence, experiencing neglect and sexual abuse.

Myth 4: Traumatic events are one-time experiences

While many traumatic experiences are connected to a single event, many people who experience trauma do so as a result of a challenging circumstance such as living with a disability, or social and structural determinants of health. Traumatic events are not always isolated situations or events but rather can be collective experiences shared by a group (e.g. experiencing systemic racism or social exclusion). When you start to think of trauma as a complex, collective, and long-term experience, you will realize that certain populations or groups are more at-risk than others.

Getting help with trauma

If you have experienced a traumatic event and need help, consult with your primary care provider. They can help recommend treatment options such as cognitive behavioural therapy or medication to help support you. The sooner you seek out help the more effective treatment for trauma will be.