As people experience mental health and substance abuse, we, as social workers are there to help those in need during their healing journey. A trauma disorder is a mental health condition that can occur during or after a traumatic event. These traumatic events can have a big impact on an individuals overall well-being and health. Here are a few, but not all, trauma disorders I will share: acute stress disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dissociative disorder, and reactive attachment disorder (RAD).
Remember, you are not alone. There are resources available to support you on your journey to healing.
Acute Stress Disorder
This condition shares similarities with post-traumatic stress disorder, but the symptoms occur during the first month after the trauma. It lasts for a short time period.
Experiencing a serious situation, being a victim of physical or sexual assault, witnessing violence or death, and serving in military are some causes of various traumatic events.
The symptoms include: intrusive thoughts, nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
PTSD can impact daily life and well-being. It is a condition that occurs after experiencing or witnessing serious events. It is characterized by a range of symptoms that include intrusive thoughts, nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety, and negative mood.
I would look out the window just above the dinner table, the only widow where I was able to take a peek at my childhood friends who were playing in the sun and soaking up a tan, just on the other side of the boardwalk. The only window that brought sunlight into the whole one bedroom home. I am still curious to why I never got a chance to play outside with them, but as I am now looking back, I can only take a guess to why it happened to be that way. My dad was not in the right headspace and is yet to heal from what has not been said. I’ve realized he would turn his anger and frustration to my younger siblings and I because he didn’t know how to deal with his problems. I was not able to go outside in the summer sun wearing short sleeve tops or shorts. My sister and I were only allowed to go out if we had long sleeves and covered our bodies from all the anger our dad left on us. Just recently, a friend mentioned she noticed I only ever wear long sleeve tops at the gym or just in general. She was curious and asked why, her curiosity linked with mine too and it made me think for a while. My silence pretty much gave her an answer and she understood. Still to this day, even though my family and I no longer live with my dad, I am traumatized to show my body. I have learned and realized that I tell myself not to show my skin or my body.
Dissociative Disorder
The image above shows almost exactly what dissociative disorder is about. It is like feeling you are not fully present, or things don’t seem to be real. It is also like there are gaps in memories or individuals feel as if they are a bunch of different people. It is a way that the brain deals with the stress or bad experiences.
reactive attachment disorder (RAD)
This condition can happen when a child has a hard time forming close relationships with their caregivers due to neglect, abuse, and other traumatic experiences at an early age. The child might find it hard to trust others and show emotions.
Providing a stable and safe environment, keeping a regular daily schedule, showing patience and forms of love, and involving the child’s caregivers in the treatment process are ways to help children with RAD. It is about making them feel secure, loved and cared for.
Sean McCrossin
I’m glad you were able to place and organize traumatic disorders this well. I think a lot of people talk about PTSD but acute disorders are very under the radar. Bringing more awareness and educating others like this is definitely the way to go. Reactive attachments disorders was actually something that I was not aware of. So it’s a good example of how I wasn’t as informed as i could have been, but I’m walking away having learned this now.
Deandra Nicholai
Quyana, Sean! Thank you for your comment! I am glad I could teach something (even with very little information).
Simone Smith
Thank you for your blog on trauma disorders, Deandra! As social workers, it is so important to have an understanding of trauma disorders in order to help us understand our clients’ behaviors and have empathy for them. When we understand their trauma responses we can understand where their behavior stems from and how we can approach them so that we don’t traumatize them more. Your summaries of some of the trauma disorders are interesting and I look forward to learning more about them. The way our brains are able to protect us with responses like these is truly amazing. These responses keep us alive when we are experiencing the trauma! As social workers, we can learn to provide empathy and the care needed so that our clients can learn that the response is no longer needed for them to survive.
Michelle Dunham
Your personal story highlighted above was incredible Deandra. It is by our testimony that we will heal. Then we can pay forward that strength and courage to help others trying to survive the same.
I don’t know if you have already done this. But it inspires me to begin a journal of my own as my past traumas are awakened through the ideology of revolutionary social work. I believe as we are able to express through discussion of either verbal or written, we can find healing. We can begin to see the fact that we are here. Right now. And our future will not be tied down to our past, it is simply the scars we carry to show that we are survivors.
Deandra Nicholai
Thank you, Michelle! I went out of my comfort zone and shared my personal experience and thought it could be a very slight way of my healing process. Even just a little bit of a story is a lot. I have a journal that I write in and I’ve had it since I could write! I write down the major events that happened throughout my life and I also write down small memories that I want to remember some day 🙂 Thank you for your comment!
Sharla Huckabey
Deandra,
Thank you for speaking out during your blog and sharing your childhood trauma. It saddened me to read it, but it certainly helped me to understand more clearly. I am glad that you have been able to come to the place in your life to speak out about it. I believe this helps in one’s healing.
I had never heard about RAD. Thank you for opening my eyes to this.
Deandra Nicholai
Quyana, Sharla! Thank you for understanding. Speaking about my personal experiences brought me out of my comfort zone and I was hopeful to bring a small (but big) understanding. I appreciate your kind words!
Alex Beaudouin
Hi Deandra,
Thank you for your blog about trauma disorders. My wife and I talk often about PTSD and other forms of stress disorder since she holds a BS in psychology. Many people experience the effects of past traumatic events, my wife and I certainly did with our son. Our son got sick at an early age, while my wife and I were trying IVF insemination. Fortunately for our family, his condition got better and he is now much better. Our experience is still with us from time to time triggered by similar events. Fortunately, there is now a greater understanding and recognition of the impact of trauma on mental health.
Mel Maendel
Hi Deandra,
Thank you for sharing your personal trauma and experiences with us, it is a very hard thing to share. It definitely deepened my knowledge on the issue. I think you put this blog together very well. All the knowledge was important and easy to understand based on your wording. Thank you.
Elizabeth Jackson
Deandra,
I enjoyed reading your post about trauma disorders. What stuck out to me the most was the PTSD section. You mentioned that it can impair daily function which couldn’t be more true. My grandma is a veteran and he frequently has episodes of PTSD that take him out for most of the day. It is scary and I truly feel for individuals suffering from it.
I admire you for sharing your journey with PTSD. Sometimes learning about trauma can seem like its just literature, but bringing in personal experiences makes it more real.
Well done!
Jillian Bowman
Hi Deandra!
I really love the way you put together your blog! I think about trauma often as its something that is sadly too common in this world. RAD stood out to me because it can fly under the radar and kids can be given the title of “difficult” or “misbehaving” when really they need extra help and compassion to help work through the trauma they’ve experienced.
Jackson Foster
Hi Deandra, I enjoyed reading your blog about trauma disorders. I remember those times where I would be traumatized back at my old school in NC and it was awful and that’s when my depression and anxiety began, its a long story why I was traumatized but yeah I can definitely relate to trauma disorders.