Stress vs Trauma: What's The Difference? And Why It Matters.
Understanding Stress vs. Trauma
In this edition of our newsletter, we delve into two critical aspects of mental health and physical health: stress and trauma. Often used interchangeably, these terms have distinct meanings and impacts on our well-being.
Stress: A Common Experience
Stress is a natural reaction to challenges or demands. It's your body's way of responding to any kind of demand or threat. When you sense danger - whether it's real or imagined - the body's defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the "fight-or-flight" reaction. This can be beneficial in short bursts, helping you stay focused, energetic, and alert.
Stress is often short-term.
It can be positive ('eustress') or negative ('distress').
Stress is typically related to specific situations or events.
Trauma: A Deeper Impact
Trauma, on the other hand, is an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, abuse, assault, or a natural disaster. However, trauma can also stem from prolonged, chronic stressors such as ongoing emotional abuse or living in a high-conflict environment. It can also come from witnessing, seeing via news and media anything traumatic like violence, war, devastation. Unlike stress, trauma can leave long-lasting psychological scars.
Trauma is often the result of an overwhelming amount of stress that exceeds one's ability to cope.
It can have long-term emotional and psychological effects.
Trauma often requires more complex healing processes.
In the words of Peter Levine, PhD, trauma expert and the creator of Somatic Experiencing:
"Trauma is hell on earth. Trauma resolved is a gift from the gods. Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness."
He also states
"Trauma is a fact of life. It does not, however, have to be a life sentence"
These words are a foundation of hope.
Our capacity to handle stress is impacted by stress and trauma.
Resilience is measured by the ability of our mind and body to return to a neutral state after stress.
More to come in the next edition.
Your coach and friend,
Pam
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