Is The Severity Of A Trauma Subjective?

[Elizabeth-Ann]

I heard the phrase that the judgement on the severity of a trauma is due to its consequences in life, not actually on what exactly happened to the person.

This works fine to help people who are suffering a lot and not getting recognition of the fact that they are severely traumatized by an event an other person survived without or with less scaring.

But what about people who still live after a situation where others died or would have ended their lives themselves, where it is only by miracle and extraordinary resilience that they are living a more or less normal life - of course with some problems due to their PTSD.

Or to talk for myself: When I heard this phrase I felt like I did not handle well the situation, it was just me feeling terror and not a "real" and objective cause of my trauma. This was very upsetting.

I feel like searching for justification, for recognition: "Yes, it was horrible, yes, you managed to go through all this, yes, you did well!" Living all these time in denial and banalization seems looking for a counterpoise - And for the moment I do not get it.

Is this a technique of the therapist or am I just on the wrong track with my perception?

 

[Red Feather]

I think trauma is always subjective and relative to a person's sensitivity and internal situation. I don't think that anyone has the right to give more or less importance to an experience, only because one person might have handled it better than another.

I am not exactly sure what you mean in terms of "searching for justification and recognition." And what it is that is troubling you.

When I look back at how much I have endured and handled a situation that might make most quite insane or cause suicide, I am not only relieved, but also a bit frustrated. I would like people to understand. But in the end I know every person carries their own burden.

I just remember that after getting PTSD I realized that I can not continue endure so much suffering and stay healthy. It has taken it's toll on my health.

 

[therapybankrupt]

I heard the phrase that the judgement on the severity of a trauma is due to its consequences in life, not actually on what exactly happened to the person.

Hi Elizabeth-Ann

Funny you mention this. Today my therapist explained to me how trauma works for everyone differently. Hers an example. You and I are on a bike ride we both collide and get hurt. You only suffer trauma. So it would be my opinion that it is the individual who determines how the life events effect them.

I realize I do not have to get anyone.s opinion on my trauma. It is what it is to me. No one can understand it like me. I guess the old "You have to walk a mile in my shoes" comes to mind.

Yes you or I react because of the consequences of our lives or old tapes and experiences. We are who we are and react the way we do because of that.

Certainly a trained specialist in trauma should understand your pain. I hope you find a therapist to validate your feelings. I have gone through many T's that did not get me. Its ok if they are not a good fit. You can try someone new if needed. I am not sure you were not talking apples and oranges. I could see how this could happen.

I am not a doctor the above is just my opinion and what I have heard and felt!

TB

 

[kers]

I had a short time in my life when I would tell people what happened to me and that I had PTSD, but they generally never "got it" and didn't understand why I was still having the troubles I am, which left me very angry and feeling misunderstood. After working with my therapist and having the experience of really being understood, I have come to realize that sharing my traumas often sets me up for being judged, which frustrates me. As a result I tend to be vague with people about my trauma, but more specific about its effects. That way I don't feel judged, and I do feel heard about the symptoms.

I don't know if that helps at all. I just relate to what you wrote.

 

[Shellbell]

In the past I have always tried to minimize my multiple trauma's, as a coping method. My T has told me I do need to start to accept the severity and the severe consequences this has had on my belief systems, my poor sense of self, coping mechanisms used and very deep rooted issues of trust, failure etc.

My worst trauma was as a teenager in a total captivity situation for 4 years with my only contact in that time being a complete psycho and I endured every kind of abuse daily. I have dissociative amnesia for most of it, due to the severity.

I think that level of trauma is going to have very severe and long term damage on anyone. However, I am apparently relatively 'normal' and function well considering what I endured.

My T and doc and have explained that this trauma is on the very severe end of the trauma continuum and many people would not have coped so well and would understandably be in mental institution, or have far worse mental health than I have.

So, I think at any level of trauma, people will react differently and the long term effects can be different.

 

[intothelight]

I don't think anyone knows the answer as to why one person will develop PTSD as a result of a trauma and another person does not. Each of us is an individual, and as individuals, we are each unique in how we respond to anything or any one.

I don't believe the severity is subjective; but it is the response that is subjective. Bottom line, regardless of the type of trauma, the severity, or the duration; if it results in PTSD, then it was severe enough.

I am not sure what your therapist is getting at, but I would ask instead of trying to speculate.

 

[Shellbell]

I didn't read the OP being about whether different trauma's cause PTSD specifically.

I read that it was about the consequences trauma can have on different people and every person is going to react differently, some may not have long term affects and recover quickly, some may go on to develop mental illnesses like depression, PTSD, anxiety disorders, mood disorders. Some may develop multiple personalities/DID.

My T is a very experienced trauma therapist and she has explained a lot to me that makes sense about trauma.

We are all different and we all react to trauma differently. And this can happen through all different types and levels of trauma.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Re: "I heard the phrase that the judgement on the severity of a trauma is due to its consequences in life, not actually on what exactly happened to the person." as stated by the OP...

This statement, as I see it, blames the victim. "if only you were stronger then you wouldn't let XYZ trauma effect you as it has"... In the light that two people have the same trauma, but one is able to continue life functioning while the other is a non-functioning mess.

 

[LC23]

The short answer is yes, the severity of trauma is subjective, although I don't think that means it's the fault per se of the trauma victim. Just that everyone is different. To draw a parellel: Two people can eat a peanut butter sandwich. One will be fine and the other will die from a bad allergic reaction. We wouldn't call that the fault of the person with the allergy who died, I don't see why it would apply to a trauma survivor. My brother did not develop PTSD although he was subjected to much of the same treatment that gave it to me. He had lower risk factors than me, but if he'd been a slightly different person with a different personality, maybe he would have been more sensitive to it as I was.

 

[KatB]

I agree with LC23 on your response. I am not really sure what you mean by subjective, but I think, in context, I get it.

It's controversial for me, as I see for others, how to accept how one person can react one way and the other person, another way, meanwhile enduring similar if not the same situations. I can exactly relate to this interpretation. My sister, in contrast to me, has done extremely well, from my point of view, meanwhile I've become a broken mess. I can't comprehend why, but I think I can understand. It is what it is... unforunately.

I strongly believe that personalities and backgrounds with experience to things make us individually different in how we respond to trauma. It brings great confusion and shame:speechless: to my mind. Frustration, too.

 

[Shellbell]

Hugs ((((((KatB)))))). It's not good to compare to your sister, but I understand why you do and how that makes you feel.

But everyone reacts differently and you survived it and that's what matters. Every single person will react differently to the same trauma and that is okay. We're not to blame for reacting a certain way or whatever mental and/or physical illnesses we have as a result.

The important thing is we survived and we know what we need help with and reaching out for that help.

 

[LC23]

What I meant by subjective is that: we experience trauma subjectively, according to our own psychological makeup. And because of that subjectivity, which is part of the condition of being human, the effectsIt's why out of a whole platoon or troop that endures a brutal, bloody battle together, only some of the survivors will develop PTSD as a result of that traumatic event. Each soldier subjectively, from their point of view, experiences the event differently than their comrades in arms. It literally becomes a different experience for the brain to react, and then different manifestations - psychological and physical - that come out of that reaction. (there are physical components to PTSD that you can't just psyche yourself out of - the adrenalin response being the most obvious one) Same exact event, but two different outcomes in terms of one developing PTSD, and another not being as severe or even having no long-term effects at all.

Something to keep in mind that may help put it into perspective. It is normal, for example, for people to experience post-traumatic stress (PTS) for up to 6 weeks after an event. When you have PTS, you get all the fun of being a PTSD person, but for a shorter amount of time, and it doesn't become a normal state. When 9/11 happened, for example (or pick any incident with massive violent loss of life), that created a whole new batch of trauma survivors, prone to react in that hyper-sensitive way, have emotional breakdowns sometimes in spite of their best efforts, feeling an impending sense of dread of danger, etc. etc. Same symptoms as many of us here are accustomed to when our triggers or our general mental state gets on top of us. It's a totally normal reaction for any human due to the disruptive effect trauma (physical, emotional, or psychological) has on the brain. But after about six weeks of having identical symptoms, most people with PTS will cease having these symptoms. And so the 'D' in PTSD is added only when it becomes a chronic disorder, one that doesn't generally go away without therapy or meds or other healing modality that addresses that psychic wound.

this is a layperson's understanding of it, but to accurate to the best of my knowledge