Trauma

What is trauma?

Trauma refers to the response, not the event itself. The same event can traumatise one person and not another, depending on age, support, prior experiences, and how inescapable it felt.

Key things to know

Effects can include intrusive memories, avoidance, hypervigilance, emotional numbing, shame, and changes in how safe the world and other people feel.

• Trauma is the response, not the event; the same event affects people differently.
• Effects: intrusive memories, avoidance, hypervigilance, numbing, shame.
• How inescapable the event felt strongly shapes its impact.
• Trauma responses are adaptations, not defects.
• Trauma-focused therapy works even decades later.

What helps

Trauma responses can improve significantly with treatment. Trauma-focused therapies are effective even decades after the events.

How SelfMind can help

SelfMind is an AI companion for everyday mental health support: a private place to talk through what you are feeling, in Hindi, English or Hinglish, at any hour. It is not therapy and not a crisis service; it works alongside professional care, never in place of it. You can try it free, no account needed.

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Childhood Experiences Reflection. A short check-in related to trauma, with a personal result at the end. 2 minutes, free, no signup.

Related terms

• PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
• Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)
• Dissociation
• Childhood trauma
• EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing)