Trauma is something that can ripples form.
If an event was the
happen after any physical or rock, the trauma would be the
emotional incident a person sees ripples. People can be in the same
as threatening or harmful.¹ When scary situation, but have different
a rock gets dropped into water, experiences after.²
Each of these rocks represents the was a splash and the ripples were
same incident for three different much more visible. The third
people. One person experienced it person struggled with how
as a tiny pebble with small ripples disrupting the incident was. They
that disappeared after a few felt like a large boulder made a
seconds. The second person felt as if giant splash and felt intense ripples
a 5 pound rock hit the water. There for a while after it happened.
1
Traumatic experiences can affect ourselves
physically, emotionally, mentally, and more.³
Trauma is also something that can change
and develop over time.⁴ Some reactions may
be right away while others come much later.
Immediate
This can make it difficult to pinpoint what we are and Delayed
feeling and where it comes from. Click on the starfish Reactions to
to the right for a chart detailing immediate and Trauma
delayed reactions to trauma. Below are three videos
diving into trauma and how it can impact our lives.
Understanding How the Body Adverse Childhood
Trauma Keeps the Score Experiences
on Trauma
The most important thing to know if you or
someone you love is impacted by trauma, is that
you are not alone. Talk to a therapist, doctor, or
trusted adult about a stressful, hard, or threatening
experience that has been impacting your life. 2
