Trauma: The Silent Disruptor

Many of us have encountered traumatic experiences. We experience trauma as children, teenagers, and adults. Some of us experience trauma at all these stages. It becomes natural for us to be hesitant, vulnerable, and fearful of others and what may happen in the future. When you feel threatened or in danger, your body responds with a rush of chemicals that make you alert. This is called the “flight or fight” response. It helps us survive life-threatening events.

The brain also responds to terrifying events in unhealthy ways. This can include trouble sleeping, anxiety, being easily frustrated, jittery, or having nightmares or daymares, and just avoiding triggering activities. If symptoms last more than a month and become severe enough to interfere with relationships or work, it may be a sign of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.  Most individuals may have these symptoms without being diagnosed, but the pain is real.

Most people associate post-traumatic stress symptoms with veterans, police officers, and careers that involve dangerous situations. However, all sorts of trauma happen during one’s life that can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder-like symptoms. This includes individuals who have encountered any physical or sexual assault, abuse, accident, disaster, or many other serious events.

Anyone can develop PTSD at any age. According to the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, about 7 or 8 out of every 100 people will experience PTSD at some point in their lives. Coping strategies are crucial after experiencing a traumatic event. Finding a supportive network of friends, family, or support groups is one strategy to implement.

According to the American Psychological Association, trauma is defined as “an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape, or natural disaster.” However, a person may experience trauma as a response to any event they find physically or emotionally threatening or harmful.

Trauma comes in different forms:

• Acute trauma: Happens only once.

• Chronic trauma: Happens consistently and is sustained.

• Complex trauma: Happens from multiple traumatic events.

Research indicates that children are particularly vulnerable to trauma because they are still early in their developmental process. This type of developmental trauma can disrupt brain development. As a result, trauma, especially ongoing trauma, can significantly affect a child’s long-term emotional development, mental health, physical health, and behavior.  And most students in the classroom fit into this category.

Parents and schools can help students develop toolboxes to cope with traumatic events. These include breathing exercises, relaxation skills, meditation, activities that children enjoy, other hobbies. Unhealthy coping mechanisms include overeating, drugs, and alcohol, oversleeping, social avoidance and promiscuous behavior. Education is continuous and so is the system which must be at the center of helping students who have experienced trauma. Healing depends on the individual, but schools can provide a support system for those going through a difficult time.