Die woord 'Trauma' is afgelei van 'n Griekse woord wat 'wond' beteken. Die term "trauma" word beide in die mediese omgewing en in die geesteswetenskaplike omgewing gebruik. Soos die liggaam wonde kan opdoen kan die innerlike menswees ook verwond word.
DEFENISIES
Die Instituut vir Traumatologie definieer ‘trauma’ as volg:
"'n Persoon het 'n trauma beleef indien hy of sy blootgestel was aan gebeure wat te make het met sy of haar lewensomstandighede of met sy of haar lewensfase (bv die oorgaan van een lewensfase na 'n ander of omstandighede a.g.v. 'n nuwe lewensfase wat die persoon onhanteerbaar vind) en wat tot gevolg het dat daardie persoon se gewone hanteringsmeganismes lamgelê is en ten minste een van die volgende effekte waargeneem kan word: daar is 'n element van gelatenheid. Daar is 'n diep, amper onomkeerbare verandering in 'n basiese lewensiening of oortuiging. Daar is 'n ernstige oorbelading van die mens se normale hanteringsmeganismes. Indien 'n mens 'n akuut ontstellende ervaring beleef het, maar dit beantwoord nie aan bogenoemde definisie nie, beleef die persoon 'n krisis." Retief, Y., 2004, Genesing vir trauma in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks, Struik Christelike Boeke, Paarl
A. The person has been exposed to a traumatic event in which both the pppppp following were present:
- The person experienced, witnessed or was confronted with an event or events that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of self or others.
- The person’s response involved intense fear, helplessness or horror.
B. Intrusive symptoms
- The traumatic event is persistently re-experienced in one (or more) of the following ways: - Recurrent and intrusive distressing recollections of the event, including images, thoughts, or perceptions. - Recurring dreams of the event. - Reacting or feeling as if the traumatic event were recurring (includes a feeling of reliving the experience, illusions, hallucinations, and dissociative flashback episodes, including those that occur in awakening or when intoxicated). - Intense psychological distress at exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event.
C. Avoidance Symptoms
Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma and numbing of general responsiveness (not present before the trauma) as indicated by three (or more) of the following:
- Efforts to avoid thoughts, feelings or conversations about the trauma - Efforts to avoid activities, places or people that arouse recollections of the trauma - Markedly diminished interest or participation in significant activities - Feelings of detachment or estrangement from others - Restricted range of affect (e.g. unable to have loving feelings) - Sense of a foreshortened future (e.g. does not expect to have a career, marriage, children or normal life span)
D. Arousal Symptoms Persistent symptoms of increased arousal (not persistent before the trauma) as indicated by two of the following:
- Difficulty falling asleep - Irritability or outbursts of anger - Difficulty concentrating - Hyper vigilance - Exaggerated startle response
E. Duration of the disturbance (Symptoms B,C,D) is more than a month. The disturbance cases clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning.
Acute - if symptoms are of less than three months’ duration Chronic - if symptoms are of more than three months’ duration.
(It is under the last mentioned circumstances that PTSD [Post Traumatic Stress Disorder] develops) (Dit is onder laasgenoemde omstandighede dat Post Traumatiese Stresversteuring [PTSV] manifesteer)
VERSKIL TUSSEN BOGENOEMDE DEFINISIES
‘n Traumatiese belewenis dien ‘n mens erge emosionele pyn toe selfs al is daar nie sprake van lewensbedreiging nie.
Die uitgebreide definisie van die DSM-IV maak nie voorsiening vir trauma wat nie met lewens- of liggaamsbedreiginge gepaard gaan nie. Traumatiese gebeure wat nie aan die uitgebreide definisie voldoen nie is gebeure soos: egskeiding, geboorte van ‘n gestremde kindjie, of ‘n lewensfase soos menopouse of ouderdom. Die definisie van die Instituut vir Traumatologie is dus meer insluitend in die laaste voorbeelde gemeld.