The ultimate definition of trauma, explained by leading psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk.

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Contrary to popular belief, trauma is extremely common, explains leading psychologist Bessel van der Kolk. We all have jobs, life events, and unpleasant situations causing us daily stress. When your body continues to re-live that stress for days, weeks, months, or even years, that stress changes your brain. Therefore, while trauma stems from an experience, its effects do not end there.

Trauma can make your mind and body behave as if they are in constant fight-or-flight mode. That can make it difficult to stay focused, feel joy, or experience pleasure. Unsurprisingly, trauma can even manifest physically.

It is important to remember that trauma isn’t what happens to you, but how you respond to the traumatic situation. Something that is traumatic for one person may be a minor nuisance for another. Whether something becomes traumatic or not has a great deal to do with who’s around you while you experience that event. Were you alone and scared, or were you comforted by friends and family?

Read the full video transcript: https://bigthink.com/the-well/what-is...

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