Effects of Trauma: Physical and Psychological
- Aaradhana Reddy
- Jul 1
- 11 min read
Published by Aaradhana Reddy
Counselling Psychologist (M.Sc Counselling Psychology)
Factors that determine the effects of trauma
Effects of trauma are vast, complex and differ from person to person.
Factors that determine the effects of trauma are as follows:
Occurrence (single or multiple)
Time (short or prolonged)
Nature and number of losses caused by trauma
Time to process the traumatic experience: Was there enough time for the individual to process the traumatic experience? Especially in cases of complex and chronic trauma, the individual maybe exposed to multiple or single repeated traumatic event that might not give the individual time to process their experiences.
People responsible for trauma: impact maybe intense and long lasting when trauma is stemming from caregivers and known trusted people.
Sudden or expected
Direct or secondary/vicarious trauma
Aftermath of trauma: Sometimes especially in cases of accidents, death of a loved one, natural disasters aftermath maybe extremely disorienting. Loss of daily routines, normalcy, job, homes, financial strain, loneliness etc. may contribute to and exacerbate the impact of trauma.
The nature of help available (social support systems and therapy) (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration., 2014).
Physical and psychological Effects of Trauma
Now that we understand the factors that contribute to the effects of trauma, lets look at the physical and psychological effects of trauma.
Physical impact of Trauma: There are myriads of changes that happen in our brain and body during and after a traumatic event.
HPA Axis: During trauma and its intense stress our body’s alarm system Amygdala is activated which in turn triggers the HPA axis (hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis). HPA is a system that helps the body prepare for stress, flooding our system with cortisol; triggering the brain to go into fight, flight or freeze mode. Repeated and prolonged (chronic) activation of HPA axis may lead to HPA dysregulation. HPA dysregulation is associated with mental health and physical conditions like anxiety, depression, PTSD, persistent fatigue state, cortisol dysregulation, metabolic issues, cardiovascular conditions etc.
Limbic System: Trauma is also associated with limbic system dysfunction. Limbic system contains amygdala, hypothalamus, hippocampus etc., which are key parts of the brain for processing emotions, its regulation and forming memories etc. During trauma, limbic system can over activate the amygdala, leading to persistent fear state (hypervigilance- we are always alert and start to see everything as a danger). This leads to severe anxiety, flashbacks, exaggerated startle responses etc. During and after traumatic events people usually are unable to manage their emotions. Anger outbursts, severe anxiety, persistent fear (hyper-arousal) or hypo-arousal which is characterized by numbness (numbing or flat lined emotions called blunted affect) are common. This is due to something called an amygdala hijack where an overactivated amygdala dampens the function of prefrontal cortex. Pre frontal cortex is responsible for logic, reasoning, decision making and problem solving, which also helps us make reasonable decisions on how to express and deal with emotions.
Apart from this trauma can also have effects on our physical health and can even settle into the muscles. Trauma is associated with:
Muscle pain
Gastrointestinal issues
Tightness in the chest
Headaches and in children unexplained stomach aches
Sleep disturbances
Changes in appetite either low or high
Weakened immune system
Cardiovascular diseases
Fatigue
2. Psychological Impact of Trauma: Psychological impact of trauma include emotional and cognitive effects (change in thoughts, attitudes, worldview, others and oneself) which in turn bring changes in the behavior as well. Anxiety, depression, PTSD, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Substance abuse etc. are some mental health disorders associated with trauma.
a. Emotional: Emotionally as we’ve seen earlier, trauma can lead to either too much of emotions (anger, sadness) or too little. People can have outbursts of anger, sadness, irritability or they can flat line their emotions and become numb to everything that happened and everything that is happening around them. Excessive guilt, overwhelm, feeling out of control, hopelessness and helplessness are some other emotional consequences to trauma.
b. Cognitive: Trauma can lead to a change in a person’s worldview, attitudes and how they look at life itself. Difficulty concentrating, memory concerns are some cognitive effects of trauma. Cognitive patterns differ from person to person and a lot of factors before, during and after trauma can affect an individual's thoughts.
We can understand cognitive changes by looking at three categories of thoughts which encompass our entire shift in perspective.
i. Thoughts about oneself: These reflect how the individual thinks about him/herself. In my counselling practice I usually notice thoughts such as “I am worthless/useless”, “I should have not done that or reacted differently”, “I am damaged”, “If I never expect anything, nobody can hurt me”, "Maybe I deserve it, its my fault". They are some examples of how an individual’s narrative can look like during/after trauma.
A word of caution before we move on, a lot of different situations in life can lead to such thoughts, these are not exclusive to trauma. Attaching labels to oneself without fully understanding, works something like an unnecessary sticker that doesn’t come off and impacts our worldview which can be detrimental. If you are reading this and you feel like they are reflecting how you feel, please do reach out or take help before you label yourself. This is meant for information and not for diagnosis. Please consult a professional.
ii. Thoughts about others: In my practice, I notice that thoughts about others and the world are most impacted after trauma. Some examples are “Others are not trustworthy”, "People are dangerous", "If you get close, you always end up getting hurt", "I am better off alone", “World is dangerous place”, “There is danger all around us”, “Anything can happen at any time” etc. If you have noticed some of these thoughts reflect the persistent fear state, hypervigilance, lack of a sense of safety and mistrust in the world and others we talked about earlier.
iii. Thoughts about future: Thoughts about future might look like; “There is no hope, nothing is going to change and there is nothing I can do about it” (reflecting hopelessness, helplessness), “There is no point in anything”, “I will always feel like this, I cannot get over it, it is impossible”.
Consequences of these thoughts are:
Inability to form and maintain relationships (due to mistrust, low self-esteem, prior negative experiences with caregivers and others),
Foreshortened future, where an individual due to thoughts about future may lead them to believe that there is no normalcy or normal life. That normal life events that will not happen after the traumatic event such as finding a job, relationship etc.
Individuals might also feel that others cannot understand their experiences and hence might not seek support.
Visual representation of cognitive triad in individuals experiencing trauma. Adapted from Becks cognitive theory.
c. Triggers: Triggers are another common aspect found in trauma. Trigger (often sensory) is when a current similar or remotely similar experience activates the same psychological distress from previous trauma. For example: Let’s say Marco is on the way to work one day. He sees a minor accident on the way (trigger) and suddenly intense fear and panic flushes him because it reminds him of the road accident that he has been in. The accident he witnessed becomes a sensory trigger of his previous trauma. Triggers can range from straightforward to very subtle. Yearly anniversary of the death of a loved one, revisiting the same location of the trauma, being alone etc. are more straightforward. Sometimes trigger can be a smell, a dress, a color, some other visual reminder, a sound etc. It is important to be aware of our triggers and devise or know adaptive strategies to deal with them.
d. Behavioral: The last is behavioral effects of trauma. Behavior is often a consequence of our cognitions (thoughts that we discussed earlier). Mistrust in the world, the world and a sense of danger can lead to:
isolating oneself
fear of intimacy and vulnerability
inability to form and maintain relationship
misjudging every other situation as dangerous
exaggerated startle responses
avoidance.
trauma bonding: Done sometimes as a way to cope and survive especially with children when their trauma is perpetrated by the caregivers. They may form trauma bonds with their perpetrators idealizing, rationalizing and justifying their behavior towards them (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration., 2014).
e. Effects on memory: Trauma can have a significant impact of how memories are stores and its supression. Some individuals do not remember their trauma at all. This is a survival strategy called dissociation. Our brain may supress or block out memories to shield you from the pain. In survival mode, our brain shuts down our episodic memeory. Episodic memory is our autobiographical memories (about events/people in our life etc.) This fragements our sequence of events. Thats why people remember just fragments or flashbacks of the event when asked to recall or not at all.
Some of the mechanisms like trauma bonding, fragmented memory of the event, hypervigilance are all coping/survival and defense mechanisms for the individual because their brain and body has been in survival mode for so long. Like it is always working on worst case scenarios, so that it can be ready when faced or completely avoid it altogether.
Childhood Trauma and Its Effects
Childhood trauma can be caused by neglect/abuse from their primary caregivers, attacks/assaults or other traumatic events they experienced in childhood. They are called Adverse Childhood Events/Experiences (ACEs). To know more you can visit our blog about child maltreatment. Childhood trauma has lasting effects psychologically. It is closely associated with mental health disorders like anxiety, depression, substance abuse, suicidal tendencies and others. Complex trauma in childhood is widely associated with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) formerly known as multiple personality disorder. Apart from the psychological effects, childhood trauma can actually impact the physical structures in the brain. Studies have found volume or size changes in the core limbic emotion processing units amygdala, hippocampus and hypothalamus. Especially the volume changes in the hippocampal regions have been confirmed by various neuroimaging studies. Amygdala and hippocampal volume reductions have been noticed especially in childhood physical and sexual abuse. Hippocampal atrophy (reduced hippocampus size) has consistently been associated with childhood trauma (Opel, et al., 2014; Lu, et al., 2024). Hippocampal atrophy is linked to mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, PTSD and emotional dysregulation. It is also linked to memory related deficits including fragmented memory of the event contributing to PTSD, associative learning etc. (Lambert & McLaughlin, 2019).
As noticed in my counselling practice, lookout for the following signs at both school and home:
Unexplained stomach aches
Sleep disturbances
Regression into earlier life stages (like bedwetting)
Withdrawing from activities, isolating from friends. (quiet, withdrawn and low mood)
Changes in mood. Often sad or emotional numbing (blank look, not responding when talked to)
often looks fearful/scared/worried. Have developed fear or phobias to event or a person or place.
If you notice the above signs, please seek help as soon as possible.
When to seek professional help?
It is important to seek professional help as early as possible after a traumatic event. Safe spaces for venting and processing the thoughts, emotions and behaviors can help a great deal with reducing the impact of trauma.
It is also important that family or other support systems are involved during treatment with trauma. Helping family or other support systems understand trauma and how it effects can be very helpful in providing healthy support for the individual processing trauma.
You can also reach out to us for any further questions.
About
Aaradhana Reddy is a Counselling Psychologist with over 8 years of experience with both adolescents and adults. She specializes in adolescent mental health concerns and in dealing with various mental health disorders and other psychological concerns. She is a trained and experienced Cognitive Behavior Therapist and a passionate writer about mental health and well-being. She aims to raise awareness on mental health through her practice and blog.
FAQs about effects of trauma
What are the common effects of trauma?
Trauma can affect a person’s emotions, cognition, behavior and physical health. Most common effects of trauma are anxiety, depression, substance abuse, emotional outbursts or emotional numbness, sleep disturbances, trust, initiating and maintaining relationships, self-esteem, memory etc.
How does trauma affect children differently than adults?
Trauma during childhood can affect children in significant ways strongly changing their attitudes about themselves, others, relationships, safety and trust. They might not have the words to express it. So, it is important to look for signs such as excessive fear, phobias, anxiety, sleep disturbances, stomach aches, withdrawing from activities and people, bedwetting etc.
How does trauma affect the brain?
Significant alterations happen in the brain after a traumatic event. This brings activity changes in key brain areas such as the amygdala, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, hypothalamus and other areas in our limbic system. This affects how we process emotions, memory, develop hypervigilance and alter neural connections about trust, safety etc.
Can trauma affect memory and concentration?
Yes, trauma affects memory and concentration. Trauma may affect how memories are stored and may fragment the sequence of events. That’s why people have flashbacks of events, not the whole event in sequence. Trauma can also suppress the memory of event (dissociation), it’s a survival mechanism to shield us from the pain.
What is complex trauma and how does it affect a person?
Complex trauma is usually associated with childhood adversities, when an individual suffers multiple and prolonged traumas. Due to the severity and extremeness of complex trauma, it is associated with mental health conditions such as depression, substance abuse, dissociative identity disorder, suicidal tendencies and issues with trust, safety and relationships.
How does childhood trauma affect adults?
Childhood trauma can impact self-esteem, initiating and maintaining friendships/romantic relationships, trust, emotional regulation etc. Unresolved trauma poses an increased risk of developing anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance abuse and chronic health conditions.
Can trauma affect relationships?
Yes, trauma can affect relationships. Sense of safety, trust, communication, physical and emotional intimacy in relationships are all affected by trauma. An individual with a history of trauma and depending on the type of trauma, may have fear of intimacy, self-esteem issues, insecurities, co-dependency, struggle with trust and vulnerability.
What are the emotional effects of trauma?
Trauma is associated with anger, guilt, shame, sadness, irritability etc. Trauma is also associated with poor emotional regulation, emotional outbursts and emotional numbness.
How do I know if trauma is affecting my daily life?
Signs that trauma is affecting your daily life might include, issues with concentration, memory, issues in work/school, difficulty in navigating relationships, persistent sadness and fear, emotional dysregulation, avoidance of reminders of traumatic event etc.
Can trauma change your personality?
Yes trauma can bring changes in your personality. Trauma brings about identity disruptions, self-esteem issues and a sense of lack of safety and trust in people and the world. Due to which, they may pull away and isolate from relationships, people/events, have difficulty in regulating emotions etc. This makes the individual look different from how they were earlier, like it altered their personality.
How long do the effects of trauma last?
Length of effects of trauma depend on the type and help taken. Acute trauma like a one-off single event can have short-term stress and may completely disappear when help is taken. More chronic and complex trauma, especially if it is unresolved can last a long time, extending well into adulthood. But with help, chronic and complex trauma effects can be managed and help individuals cope, become well adjusted and move forward.
What are the signs of unresolved trauma?
Signs of unresolved trauma include emotional dysregulation; either emotional outbursts or numbness, anxiety, depression, difficulties in handling and maintaining relationships, suicidal tendencies, substance abuse, shame, guilt etc.
What are healthy ways to cope with trauma?
It is important to take professional help, to understand and process trauma. Healthy ways of expressing and coping, managing emotions that come with expression, identifying triggers and managing them, managing thoughts, identifying techniques to relax and calm down are best done under the guidance of a trauma informed professional.
How does trauma affect mental health?
Trauma does have an effect on mental health and unresolved trauma can have a lasting and long-term impact. Unresolved trauma is linked to development of anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance abuse/addictions and significant impact on our relationships and quality of life. Early intervention is highly recommended.
Can trauma cause anxiety and depression?
Yes, unresolved acute, chronic and complex trauma can lead to anxiety and depression. Although, chronic and complex trauma are strongly associated with them. Early intervention can help with mitigating some of these effects.
What are the physical symptoms of trauma?
Most common physical symptoms of trauma include headaches, gastrointestinal issues, weak immune system, fatigue, muscle pain, sleep disturbances, low or high appetite, increased heartbeat, exaggerated startling response etc. Trauma is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Can the effects of trauma be treated?
Yes, effects of trauma can be treated with therapy. Trauma focused therapies and social support help deal with the overwhelming emotions and its regulation. Therapy can provide healthy coping mechanisms, reframe unhelpful thoughts and deal with triggers.
References
Lambert, H. K., & McLaughlin, K. A. (2019). Impaired hippocampus-dependent associative learning as a mechanism underlying PTSD: A meta-analysis. Neuroscience and BioBehavioral Reviews, 729–749.
Lu, S., Xu, Y., Cui, D., Hu, S., Huang, M., Li, L., & Zhang, L. (2024). Exploring the association between childhood trauma and limbic system subregion volumes in healthy individuals: a neuroimaging study. BMC Psychiatry, 1-12.
Opel, N., Redlich, R., Zwanzger, P., Grotegerd, D., Arolt, V., Heindel, W., . . . Dannlowski, U. (2014). Hippocampal Atrophy in Major Depression: a Function of Childhood Maltreatment Rather than Diagnosis? Neuropsychopharmacology , 2723–2731.
Pan American Health Organization . (2026). Post-traumatic stress disorder. Retrieved from Pan American Health Organization : https://www.paho.org/en/post-traumatic-stress-disorder#:~:text=Most%20people%20exposed%20to%20such,trained%20mental%20health%20care%20providers.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014). Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services. Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series 57. Rockville: HHS Publication.
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