Trauma- and stress-related disorders

What are trauma-related disorders

When we go through something very hard (an accident, a loss, an assault, a long period of stress or fear), the mind and body react to protect us. Most of the time, once the danger passes, the body gradually settles.

Sometimes, however, it does not settle and stays on alert, as if the threat were still present: a protection system that has stayed switched on. This is when we talk about a trauma- or stress-related disorder. The best known is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), in which the reactions described below persist and come to affect your everyday life.

Signs and symptoms

Reactions to trauma take different forms from one person to another. Perhaps you have noticed some of these:

Re-experiencing

• memories that come back uninvited, images or sensations linked to what happened
• unpleasant dreams or restless sleep
• moments when you feel, for an instant, as if you were back there
• strong reactions to things that remind you, even indirectly, of the event

Avoidance

• steering clear of places, people or situations that remind you of what happened
• avoiding talking or even thinking about what happened
• a distancing from your own emotions, a feeling of numbness

Constant alertness

• the feeling of always being “on guard”, as if something could happen at any moment
• being easily startled, restlessness, irritability
• difficulty concentrating and sleeping
• tiredness from the effort of staying tense all the time

How you see yourself and the world

• guilt or shame, sometimes the question “could I have done something differently?”
• the feeling that you no longer trust people or the future
• drifting away from your loved ones, even if you want them close

Sometimes the reactions appear long after the event.

Trauma takes more than one form

We often think of trauma as a single, dramatic event. But equally deep marks can also be left by:

• repeated experiences: an unstable environment, neglect, humiliation or prolonged fear, especially in childhood
• losses: overwhelming or complicated grief
• intense, long-lasting stress: long periods in which you functioned in survival mode

What matters is how hard the experience was for you and for your nervous system, however “small” it may look from the outside. Any pain deserves support, with no need to “justify” it.

When to see a specialist

It is worth talking to a specialist if:

• weeks or months have passed and the reactions are not easing
• you are avoiding more and more places, people or situations
• your sleep, concentration or mood are constantly affected
• you feel disconnected from yourself or from your loved ones
• you use alcohol, substances or other means to cope
• you feel that the past is running your present

Difficult memories can come to weigh less on the present, especially when you no longer carry them alone.

Important: if you have thoughts of harming yourself or feel so overwhelmed that you can no longer cope, do not wait. You can call 112 or the Romanian Green Anti-Suicide Line 0800 801 200 (free; Friday–Sunday, 19:00–07:00) or go to the nearest emergency department. You are not alone in this.

The first step

If you recognise yourself in what you’ve read, book a conversation with one of our specialists. Together, we’ll look at what’s going on and what your options are.

Services: Psychiatry · Psychotherapy · Counselling
See our team and pricing.

This information is for educational purposes and does not replace a specialist consultation.