What Are Trauma Disorder?

Trauma disorders are mental disorders that include the experience of a traumatic or very
stressful event. Not everyone who experiences a great deal of stress or trauma will develop a
mental health condition, but for those who do the cause can be traced directly to that situation
as a causal factor. Trauma disorders must be treated or they can lead to serious complications
ranging from problems at work to social isolation to depression and suicide.
Disorders related to trauma and stress were once classified as types of, or related to, anxiety
disorders. That classification has changed, because although experiencing anxiety is common
with trauma disorders, there may be other, more prominent emotional symptoms depending
on the individual. Someone struggling with a trauma may experience depression, anger,
aggression, or anhedonia more so than anxiety.
Symptoms and Diagnosis of Trauma Disorders
The symptoms of trauma and stress disorders that affect adults are similar. PTSD typically
causes the most severe and longest-lasting symptoms, while ASD and adjustment disorders are
less severe. Symptoms of PTSD can set in within a month of a traumatic event or may not
appear for years later. They last longer than a month and cause significant impairment. PTSD
symptoms are grouped into four clusters:
 Intrusions: recurring and distressing memories, nightmares, flashbacks
 Avoidance: avoiding situations or people that trigger memories of trauma, and avoiding
talking about it
 Negative thoughts or mood: negative thoughts about the world or oneself,
hopelessness, lack of positive emotions, lack of interest in activities, emotional
numbness, withdrawal from friends and family
 Reactions: startling or scaring easily, difficulty sleeping or concentrating, self-destructive
behaviors, being on guard, angry or aggressive outbursts
To be diagnosed with acute stress disorder, the trauma-related symptoms must last between
three days and one month. If they persist longer it is not considered ASD but may be diagnosed
as PTSD. Another difference between ASD and PTSD is that a diagnosis of PTSD must include at
least one symptom from each cluster, while ASD may cause any combination of the symptoms:
 Intrusive memories
 Nightmares
 Flashbacks
 Intense reactions and distress in response to memories of the trauma
 Lack of positive emotions
 Forgetting aspects of the trauma
 Feeling dissociated from one’s self or surroundings
 Avoiding distressing memories
 Avoiding external cues and reminders of trauma
 Difficulty concentrating
 Hypervigilance
 Startling easily
 Irritability
 Difficulty sleeping
Causes and Risk Factors
The underlying cause of trauma and stress disorders is an experience or multiple experiences
that are traumatic or extremely stressful. The exact event or experience can vary widely
depending on the person. Not everyone will respond to trauma or stress in these ways, but
there are certain risk factors that can make one person more susceptible than another.
For instance, more severe or multiple traumas can increase the risk of developing a disorder.
Having a job that increases the likelihood of trauma, such as being in the military or working as
a police officer, is also considered a risk factor. Other risk factors include the presence of other
mental illnesses, lack of a good support system, having a family history of trauma disorders, and
struggling with drugs or alcohol.