what is truma

Trauma is a lasting emotional response that often results from living through a distressing event. Trauma can result from exposure to an incident or series of events that are emotionally disturbing or life-threatening with lasting effects. Traumatic events can include physical harm, emotional harm, and/or life-threatening circumstances. The original ACE Study asked people to indicate the number of traumatic events they had experienced prior to age 18 and provided them with a corresponding “ACE score.” Compared to people with no ACEs, individuals with an ACE score of four or more were more likely to engage in health-risk behaviors. Trauma can cause a person to experience emotions, flashbacks, strained relationships, and even physical symptoms like headaches or nausea. Trauma-informed care refers to therapeutic approaches that validate and are tailored to the unique experience of a person coping with PTSD.