Who Can Be Affected by Trauma, and Does Age Matter?

Trauma is often categorized as a mental health condition caused by a highly stressful (traumatic) experience. Generally, trauma is subjective, but it is often triggered by neglect, abuse, losing a loved one, witnessing extreme acts of violence, or being in a natural disaster. 

Also, trauma can result in physical, emotional, or life-threatening harm. This article discusses who can be affected by trauma and whether age matters. 

Who Does Trauma Affect? 

Trauma affects everyone; it is not a respecter of social status, gender, economic status, race, sexual orientation, geographical location, or ethnicity. Trauma is common among people with mental and substance abuse disorders. 

A person suffering from a traumatic disorder like post-traumatic stress disorder may fear their life ending abruptly. Also, trauma victims have a bleak outlook on life and limited expectations and do not expect to lead a regular everyday life. 

Is Age a Factor? 

No, age does not play a role in who trauma affects. Adults and children alike deal with trauma. In the United States, 70% of adults have experienced some traumatic event at least once. This amounts to 223.4 million people, and 20% will develop post-traumatic stress disorder. 

Also, according to Veteran Affairs, about 15% to 43% of girls and 14% to 43% of boys go through at least one trauma. Of that number, 3% to 15% of girls and 1% to 6% of boys develop PTSD. School shootings, auto accidents, sexual or physical abuse, fires, or violent crimes can all result in PTSD in children. 

Common trauma symptoms in adults and children are anxiety, numbness, confusion, sadness, agitation, and more. More severe signs of trauma are sleep disorder, flashbacks, depression, avoidance, severe disassociation of emotions, etc. If you notice any of these symptoms in yourself or your loved one, get help. 

Is Trauma Treatable? 

You can receive trauma treatment; therapy is usually the first recommended option. This could be cognitive behavioral therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, and somatic therapies. You can also get medications and ketamine infusion therapy, especially if you have PTSD.

At Ketamine & Wellness Clinic of South Florida, our ketamine PTSD treatment combines ketamine infusion therapy with counseling to help trauma victims with PTSD deal with their symptoms. Contact us today to find out more about how we can get you or a loved one on the road to recovery.