Definition and Types of Trauma

Clinical Concept of Traumatic Event

It is essential to distinguish in clinical practice between the event and the response. Trauma is not defined by the symptoms presented by the patient a posteriori, but by the nature of the lived experience.

It is an extremely stressful event or situation that overwhelms the usual coping mechanisms, provoking an immediate response of terror, helplessness or horror.

For a situation to be technically classified as trauma, it must involve an actual or potential threat to the physical or psychological integrity of the individual or those close to them.

It is not simply a sad or difficult event; it is an experience that shatters the sense of security and puts the survival or identity of the subject at risk.

Typologies: Interpersonal, Disasters and Community

There are several categories of trauma that help contextualize the patient's experience.

Interpersonal trauma is that which is deliberately caused by another human being, such as in cases of domestic violence, street assaults or abuse. This type usually has a profound impact on trust towards others.

On the other hand, there is natural disaster trauma, where the individual loses property or loved ones due to earthquakes, floods or hurricanes.

There is also the trauma of community violence, characteristic of gang-controlled areas or civil conflict, where life-threatening risk is a daily constant and not an isolated event.

Medical and Vicarious Trauma

Other relevant categories include medical trauma, which arises from receiving diagnoses of permanently life-altering illnesses (such as cancer or amputations) or undergoing emergency invasive procedures.

Finally, it is crucial to recognize vicarious trauma, which affects helping professionals (therapists, rescuers).

This occurs when the professional, upon repeatedly hearing graphic accounts of suffering and cruelty, begins to experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress and changes in his or her worldview, "catching" the emotional impact of the event without having lived it directly.

Summary

Trauma is clinically defined as an extreme event that threatens integrity and overwhelms coping. It is not just sadness, but a breach of security that threatens survival or identity.

There are several typologies, from interpersonal trauma deliberately caused by others, to natural disasters and community violence. Each category contextualizes the experience and impact on the victim differently.

Also included are medical trauma from serious diagnoses and vicarious trauma. The latter affects helping professionals who, upon hearing accounts of suffering, become emotionally "infected" without having lived through the event.