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Common questions about the effects of physical, sexual, and emotional
assault
What is trauma?
We all respond to injury in different ways. Trauma is the emotional
response when an injury overwhelms us.
The injury could be physical, sexual, or emotional. Some of the most
common traumatic events in the lives of women and men includ ie:
- physical assault
- sexual assault, including childhood sexual abuse
- verbal assault
- being threatened with physical or sexual assault
- witnessing violence against others
- long-term neglect in childhood.
How can trauma affect people?
Trauma can affect the way you feel.
You might experience some or all of the following symptoms:
- too much emotion
- too little or no emotion
- depression
- feeling hopeless, helpless, worthless
- shame, fear
- anger, rage
- grief, sadness
- anxiety, panic attacks.
Trauma can affect your ability to have satisfying relationships with
others.
You might experience some of the following:
- not knowing how to trust
- difficulty being close to people
- problems in sexual relationships
- fear of others
- isolation and withdrawal
- not recognizing when you are in a dangerous situation
- not knowing how to give and take in relationships
- repeatedly searching for someone to rescue you.
Trauma can affect your body.
You might experience:
- body memories and flashbacks (feeling as if you were reliving the
traumatic experience. This can include seeing images, hearing voices
or sounds, smelling odours, as well unexplained tastes and physical
sensations in your body.)
- sleep problems, including nightmares
- physical complaints (e.g., headaches, nausea, stomach aches, pelvic
pain, stomach/digestive problems) for which no medical cause can be
identified
- physical exhaustion.
Trauma can affect the way you think.
You may have:
- problems with attention and concentration
- confused thinking
- thoughts that get in the way of daily activities
- memory problems.
Trauma can affect the way you behave.
It could lead you to:
- inflict self-injury (e.g., cutting, burning)
- engage in addictive behaviours such as self-starvation, binge-eating,
drug/alcohol misuse
- constantly look for sexual relationships, or avoid sexual relationships
- be abusive towards others.
People who experience repeated trauma tend to suffer more severe symptoms.
Also, the earlier the trauma, the more severe the symptoms are likely
to be.Can people "forget" that they experienced trauma, and
later remember?
Yes. Research has shown that some people "forget" that they
were abused or traumatized. Often, when something is too traumatic,
it is forgotten but not lost from memory. This is especially so when
the source of the trauma is another person. Sometimes, the traumatic
event is later remembered. When this happens, the person has often experienced
something that reminds her or him of the original traumatic event(s).
For many people who receive mental health services, trauma remains
unrecognized as an important factor in their mental illness.
People can and do recover from trauma.
If trauma is an issue that concerns you, there are resources for help
in your community.
For more information on addiction and mental health issues, or a copy
of this brochure, please contact the Centre for Addiction and Mental
Health's 24-hour Information Line:
Ontario toll-free: 1-800-463-6273
Toronto: 416-595-6111
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contact:
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Tel.: 1-800-661-1111 or
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A World Health Organization Centre of Excellence
Affiliated with the University of Toronto
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Copyright © 2000 Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
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