The Different Categories of Trauma

In this article, we’ll consider the different categories of trauma. After all, not all “hurt” is created equal. Most of the hurt of living in this world is temporary, passing without any lasting impact. We don’t remember every stubbed toe, every harsh word spoken to us, and the like. We do tend to remember those times of hurt that rise to the level when some actual damage occurs, an injury from which it takes a bit longer to recover and more resources and resilience to address.

This is what we would call “harm,” and yet not even all harm is created equal. Some harm is of such magnitude that it overwhelms our ability to cope with the degree of the injury, and the damage created leaves us in a longer-term impaired state that we just can’t address well on our own.

It is this disorienting, trajectory-altering, life-disrupting harm that we would call “trauma.”

The Effects of Trauma

Trauma may occur from a sudden event, like an accident or tragedy. The trauma event may only last but a brief period of time, but its impact ripples across the different aspects of our being and into our future like a stone tossed into still waters. Trauma may also occur from ongoing, persistent harm, such as daily abuse.

Sometimes, the environment we are in is toxic, but because we experience it constantly, it becomes our norm. We are shaped and affected by trauma, though we might not even be able to describe it as trauma, seeing as it feels “normal.”

In contrast to those people who have felt this deeply, there are many people in society who minimize or even outright refuse to acknowledge trauma or its effects on people. They will throw out phrases like, “Get over it,” or mock people with sentiments like, “Here’s a tissue for your issues,” broadly passing judgment regarding the validity of the trauma circumstance to its impact on those affected, all the way down to the grit and fortitude of the impacted people.

Thankfully, thinking like this is less common these days, but it highlights an issue that many of us still face. One of the most common reactions to trauma is shame; we feel as if we are weak, too sensitive, just overreacting to something in our past, or somehow even to blame for the trauma and its effects on us. Sadly, this can especially be the case when we accept the judging narrative passed by others and carry it on inside ourselves.

Sometimes, the first step of healing is simply to understand why we were affected the way we were. When we understand the type of trauma we experienced, we begin to understand the reason it is affecting us to the degree it is. This understanding begins to unravel the chords of shame, freeing us to do the work we need to do to make that move toward health and wholeness.

Categories of Trauma

It helps us to understand the different categories of trauma because all of our experiences are unique, and people are complex. We have no power to control how we are affected by certain things. Twenty people might get into an accident, and only a handful of them are affected by it long-term. Of that handful, a few might relive it every day for years. Acknowledging trauma does not give it power over us; on the contrary – that is how we begin to heal from it.

Acute Trauma

Acute trauma occurs from a singular, isolated event that violently affects us. This might be an accident, a natural disaster, an assault, or any sudden event that shakes us to our core.

We might experience this event in a state of shock, not feeling or comprehending much as it happens, or we might be in a frozen state of fear. After the event, we tend to feel physical sensations like nausea, headaches, knots in our stomach, or even temporary loss of one of our senses, like hearing or sight.

Even though the traumatizing event might have only lasted minutes, the effects of it can continue for months and years, causing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This is when our memories and thoughts can’t let go of the event, causing our nervous system to be on high alert for an invisible threat.

As a result, we might constantly feel anxious, wary, and distrustful, and there might be triggers that remind us of the event, such as loud noises, certain smells, or visually similar sight reminders.

Chronic Trauma

This type of trauma stems from being exposed to repeated or ongoing stressful events. These events could be domestic violence, sexual abuse, prolonged illness, toxic work, home or school environments, or witnessing ongoing violence and hardship.

When we are faced with ongoing stress from events like these, we have no choice but to somehow adapt to them. People in these circumstances often shut down emotionally and may even dissociate from reality. Though we might learn ways of coping with ongoing abuse or stress, we can’t insulate ourselves from feeling the effects of it.

The lasting effects of chronic trauma may include ongoing anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, and a persistent feeling of helplessness and hopelessness. PTSD can result from chronic trauma, too. Even when we are removed from the situation that traumatized us, we still carry the memories and emotions that came from that place, and the trauma can still feel real to us even when it is not present.

Complex Trauma

We develop complex trauma from facing a series of ongoing stressful events. Some people are unfortunate enough to be assaulted by more than one abuser, or they might go from one damaging and toxic relationship to another. While these events are not ongoing (as in the case of chronic trauma), the repeated cycles of toxic events compound into causing complex trauma.

One of the most common causes of complex trauma is childhood neglect. Though neglect is unlikely to be violent, sexual, or verbal abuse, it damages a person mentally and emotionally, directly targeting our sense of self-worth. Complex trauma affects our relationships, our understanding of ourselves, and our ability to connect with others intimately.

Secondary Trauma 

Also called vicarious trauma, this category of trauma stems from witnessing other people’s trauma. People in professions that deal with helping others in distress tend to be empathetic, soft-hearted, and compassionate. They also can’t help but be deeply affected by the suffering of others.

Therapists, counselors, medics, first responders, law enforcement officers, and social workers frequently experience secondary trauma. Family members of trauma survivors and adoptive parents can be prone to secondary trauma, too.

People who experience secondary trauma get burnt out over time. At some point, their emotions and nervous system just shut down because they have nothing more to give. Unfortunately, most people who work in jobs that cause secondary trauma, like hospital staff or social workers, can’t afford to step away from their work when they need to.

They might try to cope with the effects of being traumatized daily, but there is no true way of coping with too much reality. Parts of them will shut down to preserve what sanity or compassion remains.

Wonderful Messes

It’s helpful to understand a topic like trauma by applying categories to it, but things will get messy when we begin digging into our own experiences. Emotions can be overwhelming, and it is common to feel a push-and-pull tug in us as we start to deal with personal trauma. On the one hand, we want to be free from the shame, guilt, and pain of what we went through.

On the other hand, it can be overwhelming to engage in work like that, and we would much rather pack everything away into a box and hide it out of sight. In the end, though, packing it away and ignoring it doesn’t really serve us in our healing and growing; what we ignore, like an unseen but felt infection, will find a way to sabotage and trip us up from the shadows instead of out and in the light.

The path to healing from any kind of trauma is rarely ever straightforward and without bumps in the road. There will be glorious days where you experience breakthroughs and others where you just want to give up or focus on something else. All of this is completely natural. Healing can be hard, messy work, but it is work worth doing. You will one day be so thankful that you did not give up on yourself.

Sometimes, we can feel stuck when we do self-therapy, and talking to friends or family can feel too vulnerable. In these cases, it might be a good idea to meet with a counselor.

You will have a confidential space to process honestly with someone who is invested in your well-being, without that feeling of awkwardness you might feel with friends or family. If you are interested in finding a counselor, contact us by phone or email, and we can help connect you with one.