What is trauma and what defines it?
Trauma contains three elements in common::
1. The event is unexpected
2. The person is unprepared
3. There is no way the person can prevent the event from happening

Most importantly, it is the person's experience of the event that determines whether it will be traumatic for that person.

Symptoms of emotional trauma can include the following:
Emotional numbing
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Depression
Fearfulness
Compulsive and obsessive behaviors
Feelings of loss of control
Irritability, angry and resentment
Withdrawal from normal routine and relationships
Significant changes in eating habits
Sleep disturbances
Sexual dysfunction
Reduced Energy
Chronic non-malignant pain
Memory lapses, especially about the trauma
Difficulty making decisions
Decreased ability to concentrate
Easily distracted

Reactions to a very significant trauma can include:
Intrusive thoughts
Flashbacks
Nightmares
Emotional flooding
Emotional numbing and avoidance
Amnesia
Avoidance of situations that reminds individual of the trauma
Feeling of detachment
Depression
Guilt feelings
Grief reactions
An altered sense of time
Hyper-vigilance, always feeling "on guard"
Overreactions to minor events
Obsessions with death

Effects
Trauma can affect an individual's life in many ways. Traumatized individuals may abuse substances, have frequent feelings of hopelessness or shame, and engage in self-destructive behaviour. There are several other effects that may follow a significant trauma or series of traumas. Many of these symptoms impair relationships.

Treatments:

If symptoms do not go away over time there are several therapies that may be beneficial. These include:

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) which involve learning to change an individual's thoughts and actions as well as gradually reducing reactivity to the trauma
Relaxation/stress reduction techniques
Talk therapies to address feelings about the trauma
Hypnosis
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprogramming)
Other body centred approaches.

You will want to speak with your physician if you have any of these symptoms. If counselling is recommended you find help for trauma from these counsellors and psychologists.

Counselling and Therapy is available in the following locations:

Abbotsford | Bowen Island | Burnaby | Coquitlam | Delta | Duncan | Fort Langley | Gibsons | Hornby Island | Kelowna | Langley | Maple Ridge | Nanaimo | New Westminster | North Vancouver | Richmond | Surrey | Tsawwassen | Vancouver | Victoria | West Vancouver | White Rock