Guest Contributor: Michael Coggin, MAC, MDiv, LPC, NCC
There are legitimate reasons why trauma has become a buzzword. Many people have felt unseen, unheard, misunderstood, invalidated, and judged in relation to their emotional struggles. Trauma is a weighted word that can quickly describe the severity of an experience to those who may not otherwise understand it. It might not be enough to say, “I’m struggling.” The phrase, “I’m traumatized,” has a greater chance of being heard. Simply put, the word carries a weight that cannot be ignored.
But how do we cultivate a clearer understanding of trauma, a better sense of how and when to use it, and a tender response to those who may even be mishandling the word? What sources can help us with our thinking? And what other terms might deserve our attention along the way?
Defining terms
A clear understanding of what is meant by licensed practitioners when they use words belonging to the fields of psychology and therapeutic counseling helps orient us towards appropriate usage. For instance, despite popular belief, when we talk about trauma, we are referring to what happens within our bodies during and after a harmful event—not to the particular event itself. These events can occur in many settings: school, home, work, community, etc. Regardless of location, these events are typically characterized by the inability to take action necessary to protect oneself and the powerlessness to stop the event.
Bessel van der Kolk, M.D., defines trauma as “not the story of something that happened back then, but the current imprint of that pain, horror, and fear living inside [the individual].” These events leave individuals stuck in a state of helplessness and terror, resulting in a change in how danger is perceived. One’s nervous systems can change in response to these events. Individuals may experience difficulty regulating emotions, being in the present moment, and experiencing fulfilling relationships.
An immediate response to trauma can include shock, severe anxiety or panic, confusion, helplessness, constant recall of the event, feeling on edge, difficulty sleeping, anger, guilt, or physical discomfort. Trauma can have numerous long-term effects, including anxiety, difficulty with trust, depression, and substance use.
Dan Allender has said, “It is inevitable that we will suffer and there are losses, insults, and injuries that shake us so deeply that we can barely stand. Traumatic experiences demand that we reorient our spirit, mind, and body to a vastly new way of living or we will not grow, let alone endure the suffering.”
Distress and pain are real. But there are definite levels—as with physical illness—with varied interventions to fit the diverse needs. For instance, one would not undergo surgery for the common cold. In the realm of psychology, one differentiates carefully between being distressed and being disordered—they are vastly different. Distress is usually a temporary experience in which the mind and body return to a state of safety and emotional regulation. Disordered tends to be prolonged and affects many aspects of life, such as one’s sense of safety, self-worth, emotional regulation, and ability to engage in relationships. Trauma is disordered.
It is inevitable that we will suffer and there are losses, insults, and injuries that shake us so deeply that we can barely stand. Traumatic experiences demand that we reorient our spirit, mind, and body to a vastly new way of living or we will not grow, let alone endure the suffering...Trauma shatters our presumptions, and in some sense, the illusion of how we live. It turns upside down our sense of time, perspective, and even our sense of self. Abuse is an intrusion. It involves some perversion of the way life is meant to be. Both trauma and abuse are a violation. They are a reality of living in a fallen world.Dan Allender
Careful examination
Psychological injuries caused by trauma are expected during the first month or so after a distressing event has occurred. Think of the grieving process: When one experiences a loss, it’s not uncommon to experience anger, denial, and sadness. One might also notice a lack of appetite, fatigue, social isolation, distractibility, and sleep disturbance. These can be signs of healthy emotional processing, which will lessen over time. If they do not, one might be experiencing complicated grief or a major depressive episode. When experiencing psychological injuries after a disturbing event, an individual might automatically engage in healthy emotional processing, which may decrease over time. If injuries are temporary, they may be called distressing. If injuries stick around for months, one begins to use the word trauma.
Note: If you’re not sure whether or not your injuries are disordered, try replacing the word trauma with “distressing,” “hurt,” or “affected.” For example, “The car accident was distressing”; “My childhood had a strong negative affect on me”; “Your text hurt me.” You can also focus on your injuries and the event(s) you experienced, which may provide more clarity. For example, “Since the car accident, I feel afraid when I drive, and I can’t sleep,” or “My childhood caused me to feel as if I can’t trust people, and I struggle to feel connected in my relationships.”
Related terms and ideas
PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a psychiatric disorder—a mental health condition triggered by a terrifying event, either by experiencing or witnessing it. The term PTSD is assigned to trauma survivors who meet specific criteria outlined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition Text Revision (DSM-5-TR). PTSD is not a definition of trauma nor a reliable or accurate way to determine whether or not one has experienced trauma.
Not everyone who experiences trauma has PTSD. For the majority of people exposed to trauma, symptoms subside over time. But some people remain in a constant state of “fight or flight,” a physiological response in which the brain stays fully alert to ensure escape or to neutralize a real or perceived danger. When the severity of symptoms passes a specific threshold, mental health clinicians consider a PTSD diagnosis.
Here’s a simple equation to remember: A diagnosis of PTSD always equals trauma, but trauma does not always equal PTSD.
Most people who go through traumatic events may have temporary difficulty adjusting and coping, but with time and good self-care, they usually get better. If the symptoms worsen (may include flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event), last for months or even years, and interfere with day-to-day functioning, the individual may have PTSD.
Abuse
Author Dan Allender says about trauma and abuse, “Trauma shatters our presumptions, and in some sense, the illusion of how we live. It turns upside down our sense of time, perspective, and even our sense of self. Abuse is an intrusion. It involves some perversion of the way life is meant to be. Both trauma and abuse are a violation. They are a reality of living in a fallen world.”
Self-care nourishes and strengthens the mind, body, and soul. The purpose is for individuals to enrich themselves in order to better show up for their responsibilities and community.
Self-care
Self-care and self-indulgence are terms that are often, and unfortunately, used interchangeably. But there is a subtle difference between the two: Self-care is the act of taking care of one’s physical and mental health, while self-indulgence is the act of giving in to one’s desires without regard for the consequences.
Self-care nourishes and strengthens the mind, body, and soul. The purpose is for individuals to enrich themselves in order to better show up for their responsibilities and community. From a place of self-indulgence, it’s easy to get swept away by ego and emotions. As a result, more harm is done both to oneself and to others. For example, instead of taking a proactive approach to mend a relationship, one indulges in anger and ends up burning a relational bridge that could have been saved.
Resilience
Resilience is the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands.
A number of factors contribute to how well people adapt to adversities, including the ways in which individuals view and engage with the world, the availability and quality of social resources, and specific coping strategies.
Resilience is the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences...
Determining misuse and overuse
Unfortunately, the term trauma and varied related words are often used casually, misused, or overused. But there is a real danger in completely writing off a term because of the way it has been misemployed or exaggerated. As in the fable about the boy who cried wolf, potential caregivers may become deafened to real cries for help—even those embedded in hyperbole.
To determine if you are misusing the term, ask yourself these questions:
- Am I using the word trauma to describe an event or experience?
- Am I using the word trauma to describe recent psychological injuries?
- Am I using the word trauma to describe a distressing experience or a disordered experience?
- Am I using the words trauma and PTSD interchangeably?
A biblical response
The record of scripture helps flesh out our understanding of pain, suffering, brokenheartedness—these are biblical themes—and they require a tender, godly response:
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. — Psalm 34:18
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. — Psalm 147:3
His anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. — Psalm 30:5
I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord. — Psalm 40:1-3
Teachable moments in story (books, TV, movies)
As always, diving into story provides excellent content for launching into teachable moments: discipleship conversations. Consider the following:
- Boromir’s obsession with power in The Lord of the Rings compared to the sacrificial love of Sam and his friendship to Bilbo.
- Biblical themes of insolent pride/the yeast of Pharisees/the seeds of narcissism. Biblical accounts of man rejecting our true King and seeking to be God.
- Harry Potter vs. Voldemort
- Luke Skywalker vs. Darth Vader (Refusing failure, finiteness, grief, curiosity)
