FACT – Trauma is common

Roughly 76% of Canadians will experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetimes.

FACT – Not everyone who experiences trauma will develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other trauma-related issues.

Only 8% of people who experience trauma will develop post-traumatic stress disorder. Trauma does not equal PTSD. If a child or youth experiences trauma, one caring adult can make a difference in how they process it.

FACT – Growth can happen after trauma

With help, people who experience trauma can have post-traumatic growth (PTG). This growth is a positive change where the person can find strength from what they have faced. It can help them gain a feeling of personal growth. This is not the same as resiliency. Resiliency is a personal trait where the person can bounce back after trauma.

PTG is when a person has been rocked to their core by a traumatic event, and after struggling, the person works on and gains personal growth. This growth can lead to a new appreciation of life, positive changes in relationships with others, seeing new possibilities, realizing personal strength, and spiritual growth. It takes work and time. It can make positive changes to improve quality of life.

FACT – Trauma can have a variety of causes.

Many people think trauma must be a big, potentially life-ending event. This is not true. There is colloquial categories of big “T” and little “t” trauma. What does that mean?

Big T trauma is what people typically think of with trauma, like war, terrorism, car accidents, or assault. Trauma is not limited to the Big T. Little t traumas are often overlooked. People rationalize little t trauma. They are considered “common” events. Oftentimes, people do not allow themselves to feel their emotions or react to the event because they do not want to seem unreasonable. Little t trauma can include conflict, moving, break up, or other events which do not threaten the person’s life. It can cause the person to feel helpless.

There are several other kinds of trauma.

• Complex trauma. Complex trauma is multiple traumatic events. These events are often serious in nature.
• Intergenerational trauma. Intergenerational trauma is trauma that has been passed down by previous generations. This means children can be impacted by the trauma of their parents. Children begin to show trauma responses despite not experiencing the trauma firsthand. Some of the responses are learned from parents. Others have been inherited through genetics. The impact of the cultural genocide and residential schools has been felt for generations of Indigenous people. This is intergenerational trauma.
• Vicarious trauma. Vicarious trauma can be challenging to recognize. It is caused by acting compassionately with survivors of trauma and their experiences.
• Secondary trauma. Secondary trauma is when a person hears about trauma experiences. This could also include seeing something on tv or social media.

FACT – Recovery is possible.

Recovery looks different for everyone. Trauma can be overwhelming, and recovery is living in the present moment without being overwhelmed by what happened. Processing trauma takes effort, but it can help the individual to feel better. Working with someone who specializes in trauma can help a person to process the emotions regarding the trauma, help cope with strong emotions, rebuild trust in other people, and dispel the trauma response of fight, flight, freeze, or fawn (more about trauma responses under What Does it Look Like?).

FACT – If trauma is ignored, it will remain unresolved. 

Some people think if trauma happens in childhood the person will be able to “bounce back.” The reality is children can be impacted more severely by trauma than adults because they do not have the same coping skills and problem-solving skills. If the trauma is not dealt with, things which remind the person about their trauma will likely trigger emotional responses in the person. Any unresolved trauma can shape how the person views the world and their relationships with others. It can also be passed on to later generations.

Unresolved trauma can impact the individual’s children in later years even if the trauma occurred in the individual’s childhood. If trauma is ignored, it can impact how a person interacts with the world around them. It is important to find someone to help process the trauma.

FACT – A person can have immediate or delayed (or both) reactions to trauma.

A person’s reaction to trauma is influenced by many factors, like their support system, coping skills, experience, community response, and others. Some of the initial reactions to trauma are fatigue, anxiety, agitation, sadness, dissociation, confusion, and nausea or fainting. Delayed reactions can look like shame, issues with sleep, fear, flashbacks, difficulty making decisions, questions, change in a belief system, and hopelessness. Trauma responses are different for everyone. The impact of trauma lasts longer than the event or experience.