What is trauma? According to Merriam-Webster dictionary it is a disordered physic or behavioral state resulting from severe mental or emotional stress or physical injury. No where in that definition does it state a specific event that causes trauma. It is simply an experience or experiences that cause a perpetual state of great emotional distress. Yet in society an overwhelming amount of people think only certain events can cause trauma. Things like war and prolonged physical abuse are two that most people would agree can cause trauma. But what about verbal abuse? Or the very mental health issue you are dealing with? Or constantly being put down by a loved one? That last one may be hard to wrap your head around, but the fact is some things that cause one person trauma may not cause the majority trauma. Does that mean it is not as debilitating as someone who has trauma from an experience like war? Absolutely not. The latter may make more sense to people but trauma is trauma. The reason it is so important we understand this is because so many people have trauma and don’t even realize. Or perhaps considered it and tried talking to someone about it only to be shot down. I know personally that would make most people not ever bring it up again and how can we treat what doesn’t get talked about.
Let it be said we use the word trauma but that is just a name we use to call this thing we are talking about. The stigmas tied to the word are of unimportance. I once had a psychiatrist tell me a breakup cannot cause trauma. Maybe for most people that may ring true, but for some it definitely can. The point is some can not simply get over it all on their own with just time and there is nothing wrong about that. What’s important is that we talk about it so we can get past it. It does not matter what we call it, any severe negative emotions that are persisting or come about when triggered need to be dealt with. It should not matter whether it can be classified as “trauma”. It is all just a spectrum and it is crucial we don’t neglect or scare away people who need help simply because they don’t hit all the check marks to be classified with a “disorder”. The fact of the matter is these people are in pain not knowing what to do and have reached out for help. That alone should at least warrant some further inspection into their issue.
There is a great taboo surrounding the world of mental health disorders. I personally do not believe in even calling them disorders, but remember words are just words and could never capture the entire thing of what we are actually talking about. That is why the most important thing to do is be honest and open, providing as much detail as possible as to what you’re dealing with. The problem with classifying these “disorders” is where do you draw the line? How many people are not falling under the classification that still need help. Not only are they not receiving help, but they also are probably extremely confused. I know I would be and have been. When the professional you sought help from tells you that they don’t think you have a disorder, you tend to believe them. Even if you actually do, which makes it harder to ask for help again or even know where to start with treatment when you don’t even know what is wrong. That is why I talk about trauma the way I do in this post. It is not that I think everyone is traumatized. It is the fact so many people are seeking help and don’t know where to begin or have started and have been pretty much turned away. I understand we do need classifications to an extent. We need them to give a short answer when asked what we are dealing with. We need them so people know what to look for when seeking answers. But we need to remember that is just the tip of an iceberg. We need to understand nobody is exactly alike and the same goes for mental health disorders. Let’s stop neglecting the people that need our help and scaring away the ones seeking it from even trying. Comments and discussion are greatly encouraged!