Trauma is recognised as the response to a deeply distressing or disturbing event that overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope, causes feelings of helplessness, diminishes their sense of self and their ability to feel the full range of emotions and experiences. Symptoms can include: Flashbacks of a traumatic situation, Easily startled, Avoiding reminders of the event/events, Nightmares, Hypervigilance & Sleep difficulties.
It is important to note that PTSD is only one of a number of mental health disorders that can result from exposure to a traumatic event. Depression, generalised anxiety and substance use also commonly experienced following trauma.
