As we’ve talked about before, around 70% of all people will face some form of trauma in their lifetime.
These events can have significant impacts on people’s lives. Many times, when we think about these impacts, we think about the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
In this article, we’ll help to clarify the definitions of PTSD and related disorders. We’ll also discuss how common these traumatic stress disorders are.
If reading this article brings up difficult emotions for you, please pause and seek the guidance of a trusted therapist, mentor, or friend. Additionally, please keep in mind as you read this article that healing and restoration are possible. For lists of Catholic healing resources for yourself or others, check out this page.
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This article includes information found in What Happened to You? by Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey, and The Psychology of Trauma by Shanti Farrington and Alison Woodward. I recommend picking up copies of these books if you would like to learn more about trauma and its impacts in easy-to-read ways.
What Are Traumatic Stress Disorders?
Traumatic stress disorders are a category of mental health disorders directly resulting from exposure to trauma.
In this article, we’ll discuss three of these disorders:
- Acute Stress Disorder
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Complex PTSD
These three disorders share common symptoms. They differ in the length of time these symptoms occur, and, in the case of complex PTSD, there are additional symptoms.
The Common Symptoms
Four clusters of symptoms are common across these three traumatic stress disorders.
The first cluster of symptoms is intrusive symptoms. These symptoms included memories of the trauma coming to mind in an uncontrolled way, nightmares, flashbacks, and feeling disconnected from the world around you. These symptoms all cause significant distress.
The second cluster of symptoms is avoidance symptoms. To avoid the distress caused by the intrusive symptoms, a person will take whatever means possible to avoid things that remind them of their traumatic experience, which can be detrimental to their daily lives.
The third cluster of symptoms is negative alterations to thoughts and moods. These symptoms include things like detachment from emotions, decreased interest in things, decreased positive emotions and increased negative ones, and increased negative beliefs.
Finally, the fourth cluster of symptoms is arousal and reactivity. A person’s nervous system becomes highly stressed and reactive to the world around them, leading to symptoms such as difficulty concentrating or sleeping, impulsivity, irritability, or anger.
Acute Stress Disorder
Acute Stress Disorder is diagnosed when people have the above four clusters of symptoms for less than one month following exposure to trauma.
PTSD
When the symptoms last for longer than one month after exposure to trauma, then a person moves into a diagnosis of PTSD.
Complex PTSD
Complex PTSD is debated by psychologists and is not (yet) a diagnosis in the handbook of mental disorders.
Complex PTSD develops following exposure to long-term trauma, such as child abuse or domestic abuse. It involves the four common clusters of symptoms and involves additional difficulties in the areas of emotion regulation, identity, and relationships.
How Common Are These Disorders?
According to research, around 4% of US adults and 8% of US adolescents currently have PTSD. Around 6% of the population will have PTSD in their lifetimes (source).
Why Knowing About Traumatic Stress Disorders Is Important for Ministry
According to research, many people develop Acute Stress Disorder or similar symptoms following trauma exposure.
The good news is that the majority of the time, the symptoms resolve quickly, and PTSD does not develop. A major factor in preventing the movement to PTSD is social support.
In ministry, we may encounter people who have recently faced trauma, including the death of loved ones, car accidents, medical emergencies, and more. When we encounter people who have recently faced trauma, we can help to provide this necessary social support through our own presence and through connections to helpful resources.
Additional Resources to Learn More
To learn more about the impacts of trauma, including traumatic stress disorders, I suggest reading The Psychology of Trauma by Shanti Farrington and Alison Woodwardand What Happened to You? by Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey.