20/09/2026
Is trauma part of your emotional baggage?
Very frightening or distressing events may result in psychological harm. This harm is called trauma and can affect our ability to cope or function normally. Acute trauma arises from a single incident, such as a robbery, natural disaster or car accident. Chronic trauma is repeated and prolonged, for instance, domestic violence or gaslighting. Lastly, complex trauma is exposure to varied and multiple events, often invasive and interpersonal.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is our nervous system's way of saying, "I don't know what on earth just happened, but if anything like that occurs again, we will probably die, so I am going to stay on high alert for anything that remotely resembles what we just went through."
It's blah, but honestly, it's trying to help.
PTSD symptoms include unnecessary alertness, fatigue, disturbed sleep and aches and pains. Cognitive (thinking) manifestations of PTSD may also arise, such as intrusive thoughts and memories, nightmares, poor concentration, disorientation and confusion. Behaviourally, we may avoid places or activities that are reminders of the event, withdraw socially or lose interest in everyday activities. Emotional signs include fear, numbness and detachment, depression, guilt, irritability, anxiety and panic.
But in better news, there are treatments for PTSD, such as exposure therapy. The goal of exposure therapy is to confront what we fear. By gently and calmly experiencing feared situations, we can learn to separate feelings of fear and anxiety from perceived danger.
So please speak with a worker if you need help healing. You are not alone.
