An Acronym for TRAUMA
I was recently asked to give an acronym for trauma, and this is what I said,
T is for “Too Fast, Too Soon, Too Much” and oh, by the way, trauma can totally destroy a person’s ability to Trust.
R is for “React” and represents the body’s amazing ability to respond without thought. We are wired for protection of thyself which means we have a flight or fight response. When we sense danger we may run or stand really still, and sometimes when feel trapped and can’t fight back, we may completely shut down and tune our bodies out. We may dissociate and have an out of body response where we go somewhere else.
A is for “Avoidance.” Avoidance is the main coping mechanism to adverse and harmful effects such as overwhelming feelings and highly distressful thoughts. Sometimes, we do everything we can to distract ourselves from having to re-experience the painful feelings and thoughts. But what we are learning about trauma is that the body keeps the score, and trauma can push into our consciousness through nightmares and flashbacks.
U is for “Unseen” and “Unheard” which leads to feelings “Unsafety.” They go hand in hand, and they happen not only at the time of impact, but often happen even after the traumatic event. You see, the world goes on and people often act like what you experienced is really not that bad. Your pain gets met with “Aren’t you over that?” and “It’s time to move on now pull up your big-girl pants.”
M is for “Magnify” and “Minimize” at the same time. A traumatized person is often hyper alert and magnifies reminders related to the stressful event, while minimizing thy self. The problem gets super magnified especially when we try to avoid it. And the more the problem seems to grow, the smaller we become and the more invisible.
A is for “Affirm.” Affirming a person’s pain is the right response to a traumatic event and debilitating experience. When we acknowledge that a hurt has occurred it helps the person feel understood and heard. For instance, a woman who is traumatized by rape should not be put on a stand and told how her skirt was too short. Instead, the woman should be held in with empathy and regard and affirmed told that no person should ever treat her like that!
Sometimes, trauma is not a single event, but a constant stream of difficult events. This is when trauma is called “complex.”
Complex trauma can include childhood abuse and neglect, and it could include what happens to a person when they are in an abusive relationship. Generational trauma should also be discussed. It when the traumatic response goes beyond the individual and seeps into families through unhealthy coping patterns or through groups of people who are victimized and oppressed.
If the acronym for T.R.A.U.M.A was to be complex, then I would need to an “S". TRAUMAS goes beyone the single event. So, let me add this:
S is for “Snap, Crackle, Pop” - it’s what happens in the brain and body when the senses attached to the traumatic event come flooding back.
For some people it may be the sound of a crack of a branch, for other people it may be the smell of cigarette breath. For some it could be dirt on the wind and for others it could be an unwanted pat on the back or an image like a white van on the left.
All of the senses can remind the body it may be under attack and can trigger us to get ready to fight back. “Snap, Crackle, Pop” - it’s like Rice Krispies reacting to the touch of milk.
I hope this acronym was a good way to explain the stress response to a traumatic event. And I pray it will not only help the reader be more sensitive, but the person effected to be more self-compassionate.
Oh, while I’m at it, let me add one more thing - It’ important to not traumatize twice. This is what happens when a person has to re-live trauma to give an account to prove themselves.
Re-traumatizing is often perpetrated by people who are not trauma-sensitive but “just trying to help.” They may not realize their approach is more damaging than empathetic.
It is important to find professionals who are aware trauma-sensitive and understand the poly-vagal response. Trauma-sensitive therapists create space where people can first feel safe, and then they offer a holistic approach to give people voice.