Friends, Family & Carers Forum

[Adge]

Question 2: What are the impacts of trauma? How does trauma impact the body, mental health and wellbeing?

Well it makes trauma surivivors prone to dissociation, hyper-vigilance, & a fight/flight response - More often than non-trauma survivors.

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[Daisydreamer]

It is a good question @greenpea. We will be talking more about trauma in families very soon which might be helpful 🙂 @Shaz51 and @Former-Member

[greenpea]

@Daisydreamer  even reading the word trauma makes me feel physically sick. It makes me physically and mentally ill.

[BPDSurvivor]

Hi @Cathyblueknot ,

In terms of the definition of trauma, as a therapist/carer, if they can see someone has gone through trauma, but the 'victim' doesn't know any different (they see their situation as 'normal'), would it still be considered as trauma? 

Or is it dependent on the behaviours they exhibit?

Do you think people need to know they have 'trauma' in order to work through the 'trauma'?

[Malinka]

@greenpea I am not an expert in trauma (here to learn!) but my hunch is that intergenerational trauma is more connected to environment than genes. Just seems to match with what I've seen

[chibam]

Hi everyone! Late to the party, I know, but I'm here now!

[Cathyblueknot]

@BPDSurvivor Great questions. Trauma is a label, and sometimes we can get stuck on labels. We try to focus on the present, and put more focus on the person and what we all need in the present to feel safe

[Emelia8]

Thanks for the tag @Daisydreamer 

Hello @Cathyblueknot and thank you for being here for this event. Hi @Former-Member 

I am a carer for my husband who has ptsd from military service. And a primary support person for my brother who has ptsd from a car accident where he lost his preteen daughter. 

However, it sounds like you are onlt covering complex trauma here tonight. And neither my husband nor my brother have complex trauma, only a single incident.

However I personally have complex trauma, so will catch you on the LE discussion from 8pm.

Hi @greenpea @UTLAU @destructive @Shaz51 @Adge and any others.

Emelia 🌷

[warmsunhelps]

Hello, sorry to join so late.

I'm a mother and wife supporting family with trauma. I also have trauma from early childhood.

[Daisydreamer]

The impact of trauma is so broad and is felt in so many areas of life from social impacts, physical and mental health and wellbeing.

From your experience working with survivors of complex trauma (Question 3: ) How do people cope with the impact of trauma?

@Former-Member, I would be interested to hear your thoughts on this question also