Trauma is everybody’s business: raising awareness of the impact of traumatic experiences.
Trauma is everybody's business: raising awareness of the impact of traumatic experiences.
Friday 17th October marks World Trauma Day, and there are global efforts to raise awareness of the impact of both physical trauma and the psychological impact of traumatic events on individuals.
The mind and body are interconnected, of course, and physical harm also impacts our minds. Traumatic experiences such as child abuse, intimate partner violence, trauma at work and community violence and war, often involve both physical and psychological injury. Psychological injury can have a lasting impact. We still have a long way to go in viewing psychological injury with an equal measure of concern that we do with physical injuries.
Trauma is very common. One in three people report having experienced traumatic events. There is now a broader understanding that experiences which include long-term or repeated experiences of an unpleasant situation or adversity, such as child abuse, poverty and discrimination such as racism, homophobia or ableism, as causing potentially deep harm to mental health. These harms can also be seen in poorer health outcomes, social exclusion and potentially being re-traumatised.
Many survivors of trauma who have been hurt by a parental figure, by an intimate partner or through, being treated as less than equal because they are in a minority group, often feel guilt or face shame, even though it is not their fault. Some people may face traumatic experiences during their work and not be given sufficient protections to prevent these harms or help them after there have been incidents. People who have been through relational trauma (involving another person) may feel they have to hide what has happened. Survivors may suffer in silence or be excluded and rejected for things they have endured. If you are not believed, or heard, or seen, this can lead to loneliness, fear and it can prevent healthy relationships from flourishing. It is a double harm for people who've already been harmed.
This is not a counsel of doom. People can recover from what has happened to them, but they do need timely help and access to varied resources which can act as 'shock absorbers'.
What is Trauma Informed Care?
The reality is that services were not designed with trauma in mind. But culture change is coming. This change involves the 4 'R's' of Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) which are to:
1. Realise the widespread impact of trauma and understand what helps people to heal. This must be co-designed with survivors.
2. Recognise the signs of trauma for users of services, their families, staff and our communities.
3. Respond by building knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices.
4. Resist re-traumatisation of people coming forward for help. Services can re-traumatise people through their practices.
Trauma-informed care can reduce distress and improve health outcomes for the public.
Some thoughts to close
Any of us can be exposed to traumatic events in our lifetime, so it is in all of our interests to help build cultures which prevent harm and respond compassionately and proportionately to victims/survivors. This includes access to proportionate care, various forms of resources, and multiple forms of justice.
We're living through difficult times, and many people are feeling tired and worried. In such times, it's important to look after our bodies and minds, keep healthy connections with people and nature. We can all do seemingly 'small' things which can send out ripples of hope and positivity to others, even though we may not realise it at the time. Being aware of trauma, thinking about ways of staying connected with people and being responsive to those who need help are all antidotes to harm. This World Trauma Day let's remember we're all interconnected. Let's look after ourselves and each other.
- Dr Khadj Rouf, Clinical Psychologist, Complex PTSD Service, NHFT.
A special thank you to Dr Khadj Rouf for her contribution to raising awareness this World Trauma Day.
Support and useful resources
If you have been impacted by this article, please see resources which may be of help. Do please reach out for help if you need to.
· IRH - 24/7 crisis support tel: 0800 448 0828.
· Voice
· Northamptonshire Domestic Abuse Services
· eve
· Northamptonshire Rape Crisis
· National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC)
· NAPAC (The National Association of People Abused in Childhood)
· Do also talk to your GP, who can also offer advice and referral to specialist services
Other useful resources:
- Action for Happiness
- MIND wellbeing advice
- Judith Herman: Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence-From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror. New York: Basic Books, 2015