What is trauma and why is sexual abuse trauma support so important?
TRAUMA is the emotional response to a deeply distressing or disturbing event that overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope or integrate the emotions involved in that experience. Sexual abuse trauma support is vital to a victims healing journey.
Trauma causes feelings of helplessness, diminishing our sense of self and our ability to feel the full range of emotions and experiences.
There are 3 types of Trauma
- Acute Trauma – This results from a single stressful or dangerous event.
- Chronic Trauma – This is a result of prolonged and repeated exposure to extremely stressful events.
- Complex Trauma – This is the result of exposure to multiple traumatic events.
Trauma affects everyone differently
When we feel stressed or threatened, our bodies release hormones, called cortisol and adrenaline. We have no control over this, it’s our body’s way of preparing to respond to danger.
Trauma Responses are…
- Freeze – Feeling paralysed or unable to move
- Fight – Struggling, protesting or fighting
- Flight- Hiding or running away
- Fawn – Trying to please someone who harms you
