Trauma is an emotional and psychological response to distressing or life-threatening experiences. It can result from a single event—such as an accident, assault, or loss—or from ongoing exposure to stress, neglect, or abuse. While many people experience hardship, trauma becomes more serious when its effects linger and begin to interfere with daily life, relationships, or overall well-being.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), trauma-related disorders—such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)—are characterized by symptoms that cause significant emotional distress or impairment. These symptoms can include flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, avoidance, emotional numbness, or difficulty trusting others.

At Changes Healing Center, we understand that healing from trauma takes time and compassion. Our Arizona treatment programs are designed to help you process painful experiences safely, regulate emotions, and rebuild a sense of security and self-trust.

Anyone can experience trauma, though how they handle it depends on their ability to cope. There are some risk factors, however, such as demographic factors like female gender, minority status, low income, and social isolation can increase your risk for trauma. 

Individuals with prior mental health conditions, substance abuse, and a history of adversity in childhood tend to have lower resilience reserves as well. 

Trauma severity directly correlates with the event—sexual abuse, violence, and combat involving actual or threatened death/injury most often cause severe trauma and/or PTSD.