Are Trauma and PTSD the Same Thing?

You have likely heard the terms “trauma” and “PTSD” before but perhaps are not totally clear on what they mean. While trauma and PTSD are related, they are not synonymous. Trauma refers to specific kinds of distressing life experiences and our emotional responses to them whereas PTSD is a mental health diagnosis. While experiencing some type of trauma is required to be diagnosed with PTSD, not all people who experience trauma go on to develop PTSD.

What Is Trauma?

Trauma can refer either to a distressing or disturbing event itself or to our response in the aftermath of such an event. According to the CDC, traumatic events are highly stressful experiences that are often accompanied by feelings of horror and helplessness and that overwhelm an individual’s capacity for coping. Examples of traumatic events include:

• Natural disasters

• Abuse in childhood

• Sexual assault

• Car or other accidents

• Medical treatment (when it is excessively painful, unexpected, or conducted in a way that made a person feel out of control of what happened to their body)

• Combat/war experiences

• Intimate partner violence

• Shootings or other acts of violence

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), most people will experience a response of some kind in the aftermath of trauma. Responses can include physical components, like trouble sleeping or eating, emotional components, like feeling anxious or sad, cognitive components, like repeatedly thinking about the event that happened, and behavioral components, like withdrawing from relationships/activities or avoiding things that remind a person of the trauma.

For many, these symptoms lessen or disappear with time. While 50-60% of people will experience a trauma in their lifetime, only about 6% will meet criteria to be diagnosed with PTSD. When symptoms do not improve with time and are getting in the way of daily life, there is a possibility that a person has developed PTSD. 

What is PTSD?

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, commonly referred to as PTSD, is a diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. To be diagnosed with PTSD, an individual must have been exposed to trauma which is defined as, “actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence” (DSM V). This exposure can be direct experience, witnessing the trauma happen to another person, learning of traumatic events that have befallen loved ones, or contact with evidence of traumatic events (for example, first responders at an accident scene).

In addition, an individual must be exhibiting a set number of symptoms in each of the following categories:

• Intrusion. Examples include -  

  • Flashbacks

  • Unwanted and intrusive memories about traumatic events

  • Recurrent nightmares

• Avoidance of internal or external reminders of the trauma. Examples include avoiding –

  • Memories, thoughts, or emotions

  • People, places, activities, conversations, or situations

• Negative alterations in mood and cognition. Examples include -  

  • Inability to remember aspects of the trauma

  • Negative beliefs about oneself, other people, or the world

  • Self-blame

  • Persistent negative emotions and/or inability to experience positive emotions

  • Feeling detached from others

  • Loss of interest in important activities

• Changes in arousal or reactivity. Examples include –

  • Irritability or angry outbursts

  • Hypervigilance

  • Reckless behavior

  • Startling easily

  • Trouble concentrating

  • Problems sleeping

These symptoms must have been present for at least one month and be causing significant distress or impairing a person’s ability to function to qualify for a PTSD diagnosis. 

Why Do Some People Develop PTSD while Others Don’t?

We are not totally sure why some people are more susceptible to developing PTSD after trauma than others. However, as the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies notes, we have identified risk factors before, during, and after trauma as well as protective factors after trauma that either raise or lower the likelihood of PTSD emerging.

Risk factors include:

• Prior history of mental health issues

• Previous experience of trauma

• Family history of mental health issues

• Type of trauma experienced - research indicates that trauma that is more severe, life-threatening, or involves physical injury is more likely to lead to PTSD

• Presence of dissociation during trauma

• Lack of social support after trauma

• Higher general life stress before or after trauma

Protective factors after trauma include:

• Having supportive people in your life who you can talk about the trauma with

• Having other people believe you when you disclose the trauma

• Maintaining social connections rather than isolating

• Sticking to normal routines, including work/school, sleep, and exercise

• Practicing self-compassion, such as by redirecting self-blame or acknowledging that you did and are doing your best

 A note to be mindful of: it is not the case that “strong” people recover from trauma naturally whereas “weak” people develop PTSD. Trauma and PTSD can happen to anyone and are not reflections of you, your character, or your resilience. 

When to Get Help

Therapy can be a helpful tool in healing from trauma whether you ultimately develop PTSD or not. However, if you are experiencing symptoms that have not improved or worsened and/or if your symptoms are interfering with your work, relationships, or ability to enjoy life, therapy can be especially powerful in helping you get back to feeling like yourself.

Whether your symptoms are severe or minimal, EMDR therapy is an impactful way to address trauma so that you can move forward with your life feeling unburdened of it. Contact me today if you are interested in learning more.

Source: American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).