Psychological trauma is a broad term describing a person’s response to a stressful, scary, harmful or threatening event. Trauma is often associated with war, natural disasters, child abuse or car accidents, but it can also apply to bullying, domestic abuse, childbirth, or even events that happened to people close to you.

Trauma can cause a wide range of symptoms, both physical and emotional. Processing trauma can be difficult, and its effects can feel like the symptoms of other physical or mental health conditions. You might feel overwhelmed and anxious, for example, or experience fatigue or physical pain. For some, the symptoms last just a few weeks; others carry the effects of trauma for decades or a lifetime.