The word “trauma” is thrown around in a lot of different contexts today. However, medical professionals and mental health experts categorize trauma into three different categories: acute trauma, chronic trauma and complex trauma. In this blog, we’ll review each type to help you understand the various types of trauma a person may experience and why.

Acute trauma

Acute trauma occurs as a result of a single distressing event. Examples could be a car accident, sexual assault or being a witness to a violent crime. These types of events have a profound and lasting impact on a person’s physical and emotional health. If it’s not addressed by a mental health professional, acute trauma can even affect the way a person thinks and behaves, leading to potentially debilitating problems.

Symptoms of acute trauma often include:

• Anxiety
• Irritation
• Confusion
• Sudden lack of hygiene
• Insomnia or trouble staying asleep
• Difficulty concentrating
• Lack of self-care
• Feeling disconnected from others or life in general

Chronic trauma

If a person is exposed to multiple or long-term traumatic events, such as domestic violence, bullying or war, they may experience chronic trauma. The symptoms of chronic trauma don’t usually appear right away. Instead, they typically appear several years after the triggering event. A person suffering from chronic trauma will need the help of an experienced psychologist to recover.

The symptoms of chronic trauma are highly unpredictable, but they may include:

• Emotional outbursts
• Anxiety
• Flashbacks
• Fatigue
• Anger
• Body aches
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Difficulty trusting others/poor relationships

Complex trauma

Complex trauma occurs as a result of exposure to a variety of traumatic events or experiences, usually within the context of a personal relationship. For example, people who experience childhood abuse or neglect, domestic violence or family disputes may be more likely to experience complex trauma.

The symptoms of complex trauma are varied, but the condition affects the person’s overall physical health, relationships and performance at school and work. They often describe feeling trapped. To find a trauma online forum, visit this website.

Learn more about trauma

Although the best way to recover from trauma is with the help of a licensed psychologist, if you’re in the early stages of your research, you can visit a trauma online forum to learn more about trauma and how it may affect you or a loved one. A trauma online forum is a safe place to ask questions, read about others’ experiences and get ideas or recommendations for how to address your trauma or that of a loved one. If you’re searching for a trauma online forum, the best way to find one is to do a quick Google search.

For more information about LGBTQ online community, check out this website.