Trauma
Trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape or natural disaster. Immediately after the event, shock and denial are typical. Longer term reactions include unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, strained relationships and even physical symptoms like headaches or nausea. While these feelings are normal, some people have difficulty moving on with their lives. Psychologists can help these individuals find constructive ways of managing their emotions.
Adapted from "Managing traumatic stress: tips for recovering from disasters and other traumatic events"
What you can do
- Tips for recovering from disasters and other traumatic events
Understanding the emotions and normal responses that follow a disaster or other traumatic event can help you cope with your feelings, thoughts and behaviors – and can help you on the path to recovery.
- Open Up! Writing About Trauma Reduces Stress, Aids Immunity
Writing about difficult, even traumatic, experiences appears to be good for health on several levels - raising immunity and other health measures and improving life functioning.
Getting help
- Find a Psychologist
- How to find help through seeing a psychologist
This brief question-and-answer guide provides some basic information to help individuals take advantage of outpatient (non-hospital) psychotherapy.
News
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Schools adopt policy for athletic head injuries
June 23, 2010, Chicago Tribune
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Traumatized female vets face uphill battle
March 2, 2010, ABC News
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Childhood abuse, emotional neglect may alter brain
February 26, 2010, Science Daily
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Talking to children about tragedy
February 25, 2010, ABC News
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Traumatic Stress: New Treatments for Children and War Veterans
August 8, 2008
Monitor on Psychology Articles
- Treating traumatized children
July 2010
- Women and war
September 2009
- Helping victims of torture
December 2007
Books
- Reproductive Trauma
August 2010
- Emotion-Focused Therapy for Complex Trauma
January 2010
- Women and Victimization
October 2005
- After the Crash
November 2003
APA Offices and Programs
- Working Group Report on Child Maltreatment Prevention in Community Health Centers
This APA report recommends strategies for preventing maltreatment and promoting positive parenting practices.
- Children and trauma
The Task Force on Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Trauma in Children and Adolescents identified “what we know” and “what we need to know” regarding the development and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in youth.