The difference between PTSD and Trauma: How to Cope

Seventy percent of people will experience trauma in their lifetime. This can include natural disasters, accidents, sexual assault, domestic violence, the unexpected loss of a loved one or any other event that causes great physical or emotional distress. But experiencing trauma, doesn’t mean you will develop PTSD because of it. In fact, about 70% of people will experience trauma in their lifetime and only 6% of those people will develop PTSD.

In this article, we’ll review the differences between trauma and PTSD, and some coping strategies to help navigate both.

What is trauma?

Trauma is a normal human response to distressing events. It’s your body’s way of dealing with an unusually difficult experience. There are two types of trauma: acute and complex trauma. A single unexpected event like a car accident, or natural disaster typically cause acute trauma while recurrent distressing events like abuse, repeated accidents or neglect can cause complex trauma.

What are the symptoms of trauma?

It’s normal to feel shock, denial, confusion, anger, fear, and grief following a traumatic event. Other common symptoms of trauma include:

• Physical symptoms such as headaches or exhaustion.
• Changes in mood, including unexpected tearfulness, feeling anxious, feeling detached or numb.
• Changes in behavior, including increased irritability, difficulty concentrating, hypervigilance and sleep difficulties.

Recovery from trauma can take a long time and not everyone will move through the stages of healing at the same speed. It’s normal to experience setbacks, good days followed by hard days. This is all part of healing.

What is PTSD?

Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a mental health condition that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. PTSD is caused by intense or prolonged trauma that was difficult to process or overcome at the time.

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What are the symptoms of PTSD?

While there are many overlapping symptoms between trauma and PTSD, the key difference is that PTSD symptoms interfere with your day-to-day life. The symptoms of PTSD include:

Re-experiencing

Flashbacks and nightmares that cause you to relive the traumatic experience.

Avoidance

Avoiding people, places, or things that may trigger memories related to the traumatic event.

Negative cognitions

Persistent negative thoughts about oneself or the world, or an inability to experience positive emotions like joy or love.

Arousal and reactivity

Being easily startled, difficulty sleeping, and irritability or angry outbursts.

PTSD is diagnosed when symptoms of PTSD last more than one month and are not due to medication, substance use, or other illness, and interfere with daily life.

What are the differences between PTSD and trauma?

There are many differences between trauma and PTSD. Trauma is a normal reaction to an abnormal situation, while PTSD is a mental health condition that develops in some people as a result of trauma. Not everyone who experiences trauma will develop PTSD. Trauma is a natural emotional response to distress, whereas PTSD is a clinical condition that requires professional treatment. Trauma may resolve on its own, especially with the support of loved ones, while PTSD typically requires professional help. The main difference between them is that PTSD is a chronic condition that can significantly impact your daily life, whereas trauma is not.

Coping strategies for both trauma and PTSD

Whether you’ve experienced trauma or have been diagnosed with PTSD, there are some coping strategies that can help:

Social support

Having a strong support system can be incredibly helpful in coping with trauma. This means seeking out people and groups who care about you and/or may have shared similar experiences.

Self-care

Doing basic things like getting enough sleep, eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and avoiding drugs and alcohol can help you cope with trauma or PTSD.

Professional help

Seeking professional help is key to recovering from both PTSD and trauma. A mental health professional can provide a safe space for you to process and work through the trauma you’ve experienced. Specific therapies like Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) have been found to be effective in treating both trauma and PTSD.

If you are dealing with the trauma of a recent event or have been diagnosed with or think you might have PTSD, reaching out to a mental health professional is the best next step. Mental health professionals like psychiatrists and therapists can work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan to address your individual needs, whether that's talk therapy, medication, or a combination of both.

About Talkiatry

Talkiatry is a national psychiatry practice that provides in-network, virtual care. Co-founded by a patient and a triple-board-certified psychiatrist, Talkiatry has over 800 doctors, 100 insurance partners, and first visits available in days. We treat patients with anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, and more. Get started with a short online assessment.

The information in this article is for informational and educational purposes only and should never be substituted for medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. If you or someone you know may be in danger, call 911 or the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 right away.