Understanding the primary types of trauma

What comes to mind when you think of a traumatic experience? Surviving a car crash or a life-threatening medical emergency? Escaping a bushfire or flood? Enduring domestic or family violence?

Some people recognise a clear event that changed how they move through the world, while others live with subtle but persistent impacts that only make sense once the term ‘trauma’ is introduced in a therapeutic setting.

Trauma can come from major incidents or from events that unfold quietly over months or even years. It may even come from experiences that were not recognised as harmful at the time, or situations that felt normal because they were all you knew.

Understanding the different types of trauma can help you make sense of your own experiences and recognise when trauma-informed support may be beneficial. 

‍

📅 Schedule a consultation: www.botaniqal.com.au/enquiry

‍

Acute trauma

Acute trauma refers to a single distressing event that happens suddenly and overwhelms your ability to cope.  Examples of acute trauma can include:

• Car accidents or plane crashes
• Natural disasters
• Physical or sexual assault
• Serious threats
• Medical emergencies
• Serious, life-changing news.
  

Acute trauma is sudden and intense, leaving you feeling shocked and vulnerable. The event itself may be over relatively quickly, but its effects can be long-lasting. You may find yourself dealing with: 

• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Hypervigilance
• Anxiety
• Intrusive memories (flashbacks)
• Disturbed sleep
• Heightened reactions. 

Chronic trauma

Chronic trauma results from repeated or prolonged exposure to distressing events. Because it develops over time, you may not initially realise you’re living with trauma.

Examples of chronic trauma can include:

• Living through war or being a refugee
• Long-term bullying or harassment
• Being in a violent or abusive relationship
• Living with complex health needs such as chronic illness or frequent medical procedures
• Living in a persistently unsafe environment, including being homeless.
  

Chronic trauma may make you feel constantly ‘on edge’. Its symptoms can include: 

• Emotional numbness
• Irritability
• Relationship difficulties
• Persistent worry
• Tension.

‍

Complex trauma

Complex trauma is often understood as a more specific form of chronic trauma, as both involve long-term exposure to distressing experiences. 

Complex trauma refers to repeated, prolonged exposures to traumatic events, taking place within relationships where trust, safety or caregiving should exist. These events:

• Frequently begin in childhood
• Occur in situations that are difficult or impossible to escape
• Are often hidden or minimised. 

Examples of complex trauma can include:

• Childhood abuse or neglect within a caregiving relationship
• Growing up in an environment marked by chaos, instability or violence
• Living with a parent who is consistently frightening, unpredictable or emotionally unavailable.
• Growing up in a series of foster homes or enduring long periods of separation from loved ones
• Captivity, trafficking or being in harmful situations you could not escape. 

Because the trauma occurs during critical developmental stages, it can disrupt brain development, emotional regulation, memory and identity formation.

If you’ve lived through complex trauma, you may: 

• Struggle with emotional regulation
• Not have a stable sense of self
• Have difficulty forming healthy relationships
• Experience chronic shame
• Have intense reactions to conflict or criticism.   

‍

📅 Schedule a consultation: www.botaniqal.com.au/enquiry

‍

Intergenerational trauma

Intergenerational trauma describes trauma that is passed down from one generation to the next. This can occur through family behaviours, unspoken emotional patterns, cultural disruption or historical events that affect entire communities.

Examples of intergenerational trauma can include:

• Families affected by war, forced migration, or loss of homeland
• Trauma passed down from previous generations who experienced dispossession or discrimination
• Caregivers whose own unresolved trauma affects their parenting, communication or emotional availability.
  

Intergenerational trauma may lead to:

• Hypervigilance
• A sense of inherited fear
• Emotional disconnection 
• Difficulties with identity and belonging. 

Intergenerational trauma can affect you, even when your own life has been comparatively stable. 

Living with trauma

Living with trauma can affect relationships, work, sleep, decision-making and physical health. Many people blame themselves for not coping better or feel confused when small triggers evoke big reactions. It is important to remember that trauma is a human response to overwhelming events. The effects are not signs of weakness, but survival mechanisms shaped during tremendously difficult times. 

Trauma-informed therapists understand these patterns and work with you to build safety, restore emotional balance and develop skills to navigate triggers and intense emotions. 

Support can be beneficial when you:

• Feel stuck in patterns you cannot shift
• Experience strong emotional reactions that seem out of proportion to the situation
• Avoid places, people or situations that remind you of the past
• Struggle with trust, boundaries or feeling safe
• Notice the past affecting your relationships, self-esteem or health.

‍

Rebuilding after trauma

Recovery is possible, whether the trauma stems from a single event or has unfolded across generations.

Trauma-informed therapy provides a respectful, collaborative and structured way to make sense of your experiences and begin healing at a pace that feels right for you. If you recognise elements of your own story in the types of trauma described here, connecting with a qualified professional can help you understand how past experiences shape your present and guide you towards greater stability and wellbeing.

‍

📅 Schedule a consultation: www.botaniqal.com.au/enquiry

‍

Disclaimer

All information is general and not intended as a substitute for professional advice.  

References

• Smith, J. (2023). Analyzing the different types of trauma and their impact on mental health. Journal of Neuropsychiatry. https://www.jneuropsychiatry.org/peer-review/analyzing-the-different-types-of-trauma-and-their-impact-on-mental-health-18175.html, [Accessed 19 November 2025]
  
• Morin, A. (2023, August 28). Acute trauma vs. chronic trauma: What's the difference? Verywell Health. https://www.verywellhealth.com/acute-trauma-vs-chronic-trauma-5208875#toc-causes-of-chronic-trauma, [Accessed 19 November 2025]
  
• International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation. (2020). Trauma and complex trauma: An overview (Fact Sheet I). https://www.isst-d.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Fact-Sheet-I-Trauma-and-Complex-Trauma_-An-Overview-1.pdf, [Accessed 19 November 2025]
• Legg, T. J. (2023, August 30). What is intergenerational trauma? Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-integenerational-trauma-5211898, [Accessed 19 November 2025]