 Trauma is a very distressing or disturbing event that can have long lasting effects on a person's mental and emotional health. Multiple factors, including physical or sexual abuse, neglect, natural disasters, war, terrorism, or accidents, can lead to trauma. Trauma affects individuals of all ages, genders, and backgrounds, and its untreated effects can be incapacitating. What causes trauma? How does it affect people? And how can people deal with it and get better? Causes of trauma. Trauma can be caused by many different things, from a single incident to being exposed to stress or violence for a long time. Here are a few common things that can cause trauma. Physical or sexual abuse. Physical or sexual abuse, especially when it happens to a kid, can cause emotional and mental damage that lasts for a long time. The shame and guilt that often come with abuse can make it even harder for people who have been abused to get help or support. Neglect. Physical and mental neglect can be just as harmful as physical or sexual abuse. When a child's basic needs aren't met, they might grow up feeling unloved, unwanted, or unworthy, which can leave them with mental scars that last a long time. Natural disasters. Hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods are all examples of natural disasters that can be extremely traumatic for the people who go through them. When people lose their homes, things, or loved ones, it can be hard for them to deal with the consequences. War and terrorism. Both civilians and soldiers can be traumatized by living in a country that is at war or in a lot of conflict. Violence, fear, and loss are just a few examples of the serious and long-lasting traumas that can result in post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD. Accidents. Things like car wrecks and falls can hurt you physically, but they can also hurt you emotionally in ways that last for a long time. In the wake of the event, survivors may have trouble with fear, worry, or depression. Effects of trauma. Trauma can have both physical and mental effects, and these effects can vary from person to person and depend on how severe the trauma was. Some of the most common results of trauma are PTSD. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a serious form of trauma that can happen after a life-threatening event. PTSD causes people to have flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance behavior, and a high level of alertness, anxiety and depression. Trauma can cause people to feel anxious and sad, which can make it hard for them to go about their daily lives. They might feel like they have no hope, fear, or sadness. Abuse of drugs or alcohol. Some people may use drugs or alcohol to deal with the mental pain of a traumatic event. Abuse of drugs can lead to addiction, which can make it harder to get better. Physical symptoms. Trauma can cause physical symptoms like headaches, tiredness, or pain that doesn't go away. Because these symptoms can have both physical and emotional causes, they can be hard to figure out and treat. Relationship problems. Trauma can make it hard for a person to make and keep good relationships. They may have trouble with trust, intimacy, or conversation, which makes it hard for them to form strong bonds with other people. Treatments for trauma. There are a number of treatments that can help people deal with and recover from trauma. Some of the most common methods to treat trauma are therapy. Therapy is one of the best ways to help someone who has been through a traumatic event. It can help people work through their feelings, recognize bad thought habits, and come up with ways to deal with their trauma. Cognitive behavioral therapy, CBT. Dialectical behavior therapy, DBT, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing are all types of treatment that may be used. Medication. As a last resort, we have medications like antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs that some people have found helpful. Support groups. Support groups give people who have been through a traumatic event a safe place where they can meet with others who have been through the same thing. It is important to remember that not all treatments will work for everyone, and it may take time to find the right treatment or mix of treatments. Also, it's important to get help from a qualified mental health worker who has worked with people who have been through trauma before. Along with these treatments, it is important to practice self-care to help deal with the effects of trauma. Some good ways to take care of yourself are. Mindfulness and relaxation methods. Deep breathing, meditation, and yoga are all examples of mindfulness and relaxation techniques that can help with anxiety and stress. Exercise. It has been shown that exercise is more effective than medication in lessening the effects of depression, sadness and anxiety. Regular exercise can also help you sleep better and feel less stressed. And creative expression. Art therapy or writing are two examples of creative expression that can help people deal with and talk about their feelings after a traumatic event. Trauma can be a hard and complicated thing to go through, and people who have been through it need to be met with compassion and understanding. It is important to recognize that trauma can have significant and long-lasting effects on an individual's mental and physical health, and that recovery is a process that can take time and patience. It is also important for society as a whole to recognize the prevalence of trauma and work towards creating a culture that is trauma-informed. This involves creating environments that are safe and supportive for individuals who have experienced trauma and providing access to resources and treatment. Hi, I'm Emmy Golding, Director of Psychology for the Workplace Mental Health Institute. We hope you liked the video. If you did, make sure to give it a thumbs up. We have more and more videos being released each week. So when you subscribe, you'll get a notification letting you know when a new one's just been published. So make sure to hit that subscribe button and don't miss out on this vital information for yourself, your colleagues and your loved ones.