Complex Psychological Trauma and Its Consequences on Mental and Physical Health

Abstract

Experiences beyond an individual's control that cause physical, psychological, or emotional distress affecting their ability to cope are referred to as "trauma." The effects of trauma can be short-term or long-lasting. Understanding how the human survival instinct impacts our body's systems, along with our early life experiences, is key to addressing our experience and helping individuals deal with traumatic experiences. Experiencing a traumatic event does not always lead to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), although individuals may suffer from one or more symptoms immediately after the event, known as Acute Stress Disorder. With proper support and space to process these experiences, these symptoms typically diminish over time. When someone faces a series of repeated traumatic events from an early age, it is referred to as Complex Trauma (CPTSD). The impact of complex trauma symptoms is usually more enduring and often requires long-term support for the individual to process and recover over time. The study and treatment of trauma effects must be approached with an understanding of the dimensions of each type of these disorders and an analysis of their concepts, which is the aim of this paper.