Trauma

Complex trauma is the cause of the Trauma Stressor-Related disorders and the Dissociative Disorders. Even though the vast membership of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD) do not agree on everything to do with dissociative identity disorder, they do all agree that it is caused by consistent and overwhelming early childhood trauma. In the 2014 book, "The Body Keeps The Score," Bessel van der Kolk points out the following:

"Trauma by definition is unbearable and intolerable. Most rape victims, combat soldiers, and children who have been molested become so upset when they think about what they experienced that they try to push it out of their minds, trying to act as if nothing happened, and move on. It takes tremendous energy to keep functioning while carrying the memory of terror, and the shame of utter weakness and vulnerability. While we want to move beyond trauma, the part of our brain that is devoted to ensuring our survival (deep blow our rational brain) is not very good at denial.  Long after a traumatic experience is over, it may be reactive at the slightest hint of danger and mobilized disturbed brain circuits and secrete massive amounts of stress hormones.  This precipitates unpleasant emotions intense physical sensations, and impulsive and aggressive actions."

Van der Kolk maintains that trauma is far more complicated than what most authors describe as subjective trauma. Whichever way you look at it, trauma is the cause of many mental disorders, of which do not have any genetic factors contributing to them such as dissociative identity disorder, other specified dissociative disorder, complex-posttraumatic stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder.

Possible causes of psychological trauma
The most serious mental health problems caused by trauma occur when trauma is prolonged and repeated, sometimes extending over years. Trauma survivors may have many different psychiatric diagnoses, or multiple diagnoses. In particular, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder may occur after a trauma.

Examples of Trauma include:
 * accidents
 * natural disasters
 * robbery, rape and homicide and urban violence
 * surgeries
 * chronic or repetitive experiences such as child abuse and neglect,
 * war, combat, concentration camps
 * enduring deprivation

Psychological effects are likely to be most severe if the trauma is:
 * Human caused, e.g. abuse
 * Repeated
 * Unpredictable
 * Multifaceted, e.g. physical and sexual abuse combined, natural disaster resulting in injury as well as perceived loss of life
 * Sadistic, e.g. concentration camps, prostitution, pornography rings, ritual abuse
 * Undergone in childhood
 * And perpetrated by a caregiver

Intergenerational caused trauma
When trauma is not properly processed, it can go through generations. Children and other people surrounding the traumatized person take over the trauma, in a mostly nonverbal way. They can have the same feelings, the same emotions as the original trauma survivor. This can happen when trauma is denied or ignored by communities and society.

See integration for more.