Mental trauma: what is it?

The term trauma has been used increasingly in recent decades, albeit in different contexts. In professional terminology, this term is used for acute severe injury (e.g. polytrauma after a serious traffic accident) and for psychologically exceptional situations (“psychotrauma”) caused by events that affect the affected person (e.g. violent act, war or disaster) and which represent endangering the life or physical integrity of the affected person or their loved ones.

Beyond the limits of the manageable

Trauma can be caused by all sorts of frightening events. Trauma comes unexpectedly, so it is impossible to prepare for it. Affected people are exposed to extreme fear, loss of control and helplessness. Most people are subsequently unable to process these situations of extreme helplessness. The coping mechanisms of ordinary situations are not enough for this situation and the world literally collapses for the affected person. In extreme stressful situations, a person has an instinctive need to either run away or fight. If neither is possible, one is in a hopeless situation.

Whether a given situation is truly traumatic depends on the specific person and the circumstances of the trauma (duration, intensity, etc.). When someone is harmed by someone close to them (e.g. someone from family or friends), this fact leaves an extremely deep mark, as there is widespread disappointment and a breach of trust. Humans usually process traumas caused by other people (sometimes even those they trust) differently than, for example, natural disasters.

Certain circumstances and characteristics act as a “protective shield” against traumatic influences. This includes, for example, a good relationship with others, social support and confidence in one’s own abilities. This means that a person feels free to make decisions about his actions and believes that he can successfully implement his plans. Confidence in one’s own abilities thus means control over one’s own life and surrounding events. A person tries to “be the master of his life” and not feel helpless. In extreme cases, however, this protection runs into its limits. This is completely normal and has nothing to do with weakness.

Body and soul reaction

Stress has a biological meaning . However, extreme and permanent stress has a negative effect on the body and the soul. In the case of trauma, it is an extreme load that can leave traces in the brain . In acute , extreme stress situations, the stress processing system is overloaded. As a result, it can become paralyzed and “stiff”.

If the extreme stress reaction persists, this fact has a negative impact on information processing. It is no longer possible to pass information on to the so-called hippocampus (a structure in the brain where it is decided which experiences are important to us), which then decides to “move” important information to the cerebral cortex , i.e. to long-term memory. There, the experience is cognitively classified and one can learn from it. A disorder in the hippocampus leads to the fact that it is not possible to store the traumatic experience in memory, and therefore the person cannot even learn. Near the hippocampus lies the amygdala, or “almond nucleus”. The feelings associated with a certain experience, whether negative or positive, are stored there.

Gaps in memory that are a burden

Sensory sensations, bodily states, and feelings associated with trauma are stored in the amygdala. Like the shards of a broken mirror, they break into many pieces and thus cannot be classified and perceived as a meaningful whole. For that reason, one cannot use them as a learning experience in the future. The threshold for stimuli from the outside, which a person perceives as potentially threatening, will be significantly reduced. Fragments begin to live a life of their own and can appear on all sensory channels as so-called intrusions (internal images of a traumatic experience) and overlay the current reality. In such situations, individual brain functions are further suppressed, for example, Broca’s speech center ceases to function . As a result, there are no words that could express what was experienced. You always feel like you’re in a horror movie.

The combination of partial memories, gaps in memory, and ever-emerging images and feelings presents a great burden to the sufferer. Sleep disturbances , nightmares, limited ability to express emotions (e.g. inability to love or cry), irritability and great fear for oneself and one’s own health may occur . A sudden reliving of the trauma in the affected person’s mind is referred to as a flashback. Flashbacks also appear in other contexts, for example after taking drugs .

In disabled people, on the one hand, the desire to constantly deal with the event alternates, and on the other hand, the feeling that the person does not want to talk about the experienced event. Therefore, under certain circumstances, he tries to avoid anything that might remind him of the trauma. All these reactions associated with trauma can be understood as an attempt to process it. A person tries to protect himself from being overwhelmed by feelings. In the broadest sense of the word, these reactions are for survival. These are normal responses to an emergency situation.

War, torture and flight

Not every refugee is traumatized. But trauma and trauma-related disorders are very common in those who have had to flee. In contrast to natural disasters, the so-called “man-made disaster” (a disaster caused by man, such as a war) has a much stronger effect on a person’s psyche. There is no sense of belonging, mutual trust is shaken, the future seems uncertain. Some organizations specialize in helping traumatized refugees.

Current information for people helping refugees

A third of people who have experienced traumatic experiences develop symptoms caused by the trauma, such as post-traumatic stress disorder . Pay attention to the warning signs and, if necessary, use the help of professional staff (mainly from the field of psychology , psychotherapy and psychiatry ). Also think about yourself and don’t be afraid to ask for help for yourself. The indescribable suffering of disabled people often has a strong impact on those who help them. For more information, see the article Post-traumatic stress disorder: diagnosis .

Timely help and support

Psychological traumas can lead to acute stress reactions, post-traumatic stress disorders and permanent personality changes. The consequence of the traumatic experience can also be other psychological disorders and diseases (e.g. addictions , depression , dissociative disorders, suicidal tendencies, etc.). If symptoms of psychological trauma appear, it is important to seek professional help. Early help – immediately after the event (on the spot if possible) – helps to manage the situation and reduces the risk of developing later trauma-related disorders. However, assistance should be tailored to the specific needs of the disabled person. If the trauma is very severe or if the victim is very affected by it, the first step should be crisis intervention . As part of it, acute help is provided, which enables the affected person to cope with the stressful situation. If this fails to a sufficient extent, there are special forms of therapy that help to process and come to terms with the further consequences of the event.

After an acute traumatization, the goal of all support is to put the trauma into context so that the person realizes: “It was terrible, but I survived.”

Post-traumatic “growth”

Although it may sound surprising, traumatization can have positive consequences in many cases. Psychological resistance or resilience also plays a role here . However, this in no way means that every person should walk away from a traumatic event “strengthened”. Post-traumatic growth is also not to be confused with unlimited euphoria . Terrible experiences should not be trivialized by this either. They remain terrifying, in no way can this concept be used as an excuse for the perpetrators or perpetrators of trauma.

Research indicates that sufferers may experience, for example, the following positive reactions:

• over time they become aware of their own strengths,
• discovers new possibilities in life,
• breaks negative relationships and strengthens positive ones,
• they value life more.

Professional support, for example through psychotherapy, can help a person alleviate their suffering, make it more bearable and fill their life with growth and meaning.