Trauma can fundamentally change personality by altering brain function, leading to heightened reactivity, emotional numbness, irritability, social withdrawal, distrust, and difficulty with emotional regulation, often manifesting as PTSD. These changes, like increased anger or avoidance, stem from the nervous system staying on high alert, making you feel fundamentally different, with symptoms such as shame, detachment, and a skewed worldview, though recovery through support and therapy is possible.
For example, an individual who was previously outgoing and cheerful might become withdrawn and serious after experiencing trauma. They might also exhibit increased irritability, emotional instability, or risk-taking behaviors.
Delayed responses to trauma can include persistent fatigue, sleep disorders, nightmares, fear of recurrence, anxiety focused on flashbacks, depression, and avoidance of emotions, sensations, or activities that are associated with the trauma, even remotely. Exhibit 1.3-1 outlines some common reactions.
To protect themselves from the pain of past trauma, some individuals may develop defensive personality traits. These traits, such as emotional detachment, perfectionism, or aggression, act as protective shields to cope with the vulnerability they experienced during their traumatic past.
Trauma Signs and Symptoms
Trauma can profoundly impact a person's mental, emotional and physical states, prompting a range of responses that are often categorized into four types: fight, flight, freeze and fawn.
Symptoms of Unhealed Trauma
There is a range of traumatic events or trauma types to which children and adolescents can be exposed.
“For trauma survivors, especially those who've experienced neglect or emotional invalidation, oversharing can feel like a fast-track to safety or intimacy — even if it bypasses healthy relationship pacing.” Figueroa adds that you might also overshare intimate details to avoid feeling rejected or unseen.
Leanne Johnson has developed the 3 Cs Model of Trauma Informed Practice – Connect, Co-Regulate and Co-Reflect. It is a comprehensive approach based on the current evidence base, emphasising the importance of relationships that young people require in trauma recovery.
Things Never to Say to Trauma Survivors
5 Childhood Trauma Personalities
Trauma can alter the course of identity development and destabilize existing identity commitments. Trauma, whether past or current, can also impact the resources a person brings to identity work.
Signs of unhealed childhood trauma may include anxiety, depression, difficulty forming relationships, emotional dysregulation, low self-esteem, intrusive memories, trust issues, self-destructive behavior, chronic stress, substance abuse, dissociation, sleep disturbances, somatic symptoms, difficulty with boundaries, ...
One of the most devastating forms of trauma a child can experience is witnessing the death, suicide, or murder of another person. This type of traumatic event can leave children with intense feelings of fear and helplessness. They may also develop symptoms such as nightmares, flashbacks, and depression.
Cognition and mood symptoms
It won't rid you of PTSD and your fears, but let your tears flow and you'll maybe feel a little better afterwards. 'Crying for long periods of time releases oxytocin and endogenous opioids, otherwise known as endorphins. These feel-good chemicals can help ease both physical and emotional pain.
These feelings affect how they relate to others. They may feel like they are letting down their guard if they get close to someone else and trust them. This is not to say a survivor never feels a strong bond of love or friendship. However, a close relationship can also feel scary or dangerous to a trauma survivor.
While all traumas leave a profound mark on an individual's life, there's a different level of difficulty in recovering from what's called "complex trauma." Unlike single-incident traumas, complex trauma stems from repeated experiences of stressful and traumatic events, usually in environments where there's no escape.
Identifying your triggers
To identify your own PTSD or C-PTSD triggers, it can be helpful to keep a diary or journal where you record any experiences that cause you distress. Over time, you may notice patterns or common stimuli that trigger flashbacks.
Our brain shuts down as a protective response to keep us safe when our nervous system is overloaded,” he says. Initially, emotionally numbing is helpful, because it helps calm our overwhelmed minds. Over time, it can be harmful and lead to behaviors with serious consequences to our emotional and physical well-being.