MHM Magazine

Issue 6 | 2021 | MENTALHEALTHMATTERS | 29 MHM WHAT IS COMPLEX TRAUMA? Complex trauma can be defined as any trauma which: • Happened repeatedly or over a long period of time • Involved neglect, abandonment, or abuse from caregivers, or other significant adults • Usually occurred at developmentally vulnerable times, such as childhood and adolescence (but can also occur in adulthood) • Has relational dynamics SYMPTOMS Complex trauma affects both body and mind, leaving survivors with both emotional and physical imprints on the body. Survivors often experience emotional dysregulation due to overwhelming emotions, anxiety, for example: anger, sadness, denial, guilt, or shame. More severe symptoms include dissociation or psychosis. Some of the physical symptoms survivors may experience are: • Headaches • Muscle tension • Digestive symptoms • Fatigue • Increased heart rate Complex trauma can also be seen as an adverse event. A longitudinal study, called the Adverse Childhood By Sanisha Vala Clinical Psychologist (Centurion, Pretoria) Trauma Sensitive Yoga Facilitato Email: info@sanishapsych.com TRAUMASENSITIVEYOGAAS ANADJUNCTIVETREATMENT FOR COMPLEX TRAUMA "We have learned that trauma is not just an event that took place sometime in the past; it is also the imprint left by that experience on mind, brain, and body. This imprint has ongoing consequences for how the human organism manages to survive in the present" . - Bessel van der Kolk -