Crisis and Trauma

UNDERSTANDING CRISIS AND TRAUMA IMPACTS ON MENTAL HEALTH Student Instructor Institution Course and Code Date Understanding Crisis and Trauma Impacts on Mental Health Introduction The terms 'crisis' and 'trauma' may sometimes be considered synonyms in everyday language, but in terms of psychology, they differ, and the concepts are crucial to understanding the situation of people who suffer from them. A crisis is a critical and acute event that affects the normal function of an individual or a community; trauma, on the other hand, is the injury the affected person or the community incurs due to the crisis. This paper will explain the difference between crisis and trauma, describe a global crisis and its possible traumatization, compare the differences between CPTSD and PTSD, and further explain the emergence of ASD and its transition to PTSD. Difference between Crisis and Trauma A crisis is an occurrence that interferes with an individual's capabilities to deal with situations in life. As Karantzas et al. (2022) pointed out, crises may result from natural disasters, war, loss of a loved one, or financial troubles, among others. Not all events resulting in crises are traumatic. However, some events become traumatic when they degrade or surpass one's coping ability or undermine safety. Bryant (2021) defines trauma as the psychological and emotional impact of the event, which can appear as a secondary response. Their consequences may be long-lasting and manifested in emotional, psychological, and physical changes that make people feel helpless and vulnerable. The COVID-19 Pandemic as Global Crisis The COVID-19 outbreak affected millions of people globally and led to changes, including unemployment, loneliness, and fear of getting infected or dying. The COVID-19 pandemic shifted to a mental health crisis where many people suffered from anxiety, depression, and loneliness as a result of isolation and the uncertainty it brought (Jain et al., 2020). Congruently, children and adolescents endured interferences in their routines, and healthcare professionals experienced significant stress and burnout. Because the pandemic ...