The American Psychological Association defines trauma as an “emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape or natural disaster” (APA, 2017). Trauma is also any overwhelming experience that is not sufficiently processed cognitively, that produces an emotional, mental and physical response, making symptoms unmanageable and resulting in the sufferer to reactively respond to current triggers. The reality is, someone who experiences vicarious or secondary trauma can experience similar symptoms related to PTSD. The only difference is the proximity to the traumatic event. We should not treat vicarious trauma any lesser than direct trauma. Trauma is trauma. Here are some things you need to know about secondary trauma. (Please note, I am using vicarious and secondary trauma interchangeably because they are essentially synonymous).
The symptoms can range in level of severity, but the impact is the same
Someone who witnesses a murder through FB lifestream and someone who experiences direct combat trauma oversees, may both develop physiological and emotional responses congruent to the diagnosis of PTSD. Both may struggle with some if not all of the below symptoms on a spectrum:
- Reliving the actual traumatic event through invasive thoughts, nightmares, flashbacks, or anxiety attacks.
- Avoiding situations, places and people that remind you of the painful memory, to include general isolating.
- Negative changes in mood (feeling more sad, irritable or easily angered), as well as negative changes in how one processes information (cognitive changes).
- Increase hypervilgilence or the feeling of being hyperaware of the threat of danger (repositioning seating when in a room to plan for an escape, hyper aware to avoid certain discussions and topics, people or places that may remind you of the trauma, and generally going above and beyond to avoid any potential threats, etc.) when there is no threat of danger.
Secondary trauma should be treated and processed like any other direct trauma
Simply put, because one can experience similar symptoms related to PTSD as well as any other anxiety or cognitive disorder when they experience, hear about or indirectly witnesses a traumatic event, it still rates prioritizing your self care, which may look like seeking professional counseling. It is so important not to delay seeking help in whatever form that you choose and not disregard the effects it may be producing in your life just because you were not directly present when the trauma occurred and/or believe you “should not” feel the way you feel.
Do not downplay or dismiss the effects of secondary trauma
What may be traumatizing to me, may not be traumatizing to you. Trauma is subjective. If an event is currently impacting you and you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, take care of yourself and address them. If you feel you are struggling with anxiety and increased worry, fear, depression, confusion, etc., and are starting to notice isolative behaviors, increase agitation and anger (to name a few) after experiencing or hearing about a painful situation, please reach out for professional help with an objective safe person and do not overlook these symptoms.
Because this is an injury, know there is hope of healing this wound through many forms of trauma interventions like EMDR, Trauma Focused CBT, In Vivo Exposure Therapy, Attachment Base Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and so on. If you are in doubt about whether or not you have experienced secondary trauma, I encourage you to reach out to a trained professional to help you make sense of what you may be experiencing symptomatically.
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References:
Association, A. P. (n.d.). Trauma and Shock. Retrieved from apa.org
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.
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Hermeisha R. Hopson, LCSW is the owner of Refuge Counseling & Consulting specializing in trauma and attachment related injuries. As a survivor of racial, spiritual and sexual trauma, she helps others resolve their painful experiences through an evidence based intervention called EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing). She views PTSD as an injury that can be repaired and healed through competent clinical care as well as through spiritual soul healing.
