Trauma and PTSD are often lumped together, but they are not the same. Trauma refers to the psychological or emotional injury that can result from a traumatic event or long-term stressful circumstances. PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) is a diagnosis made by a healthcare professional when that injury manifests in a recognizable pattern of symptoms that do not go away on their own. Examples include flashbacks, avoidance, and persistent tension.
Important to know: not everyone who experiences a traumatic event retains the trauma. And not everyone with trauma develops PTSD. However, it is true that those who have PTSD have always experienced one or more traumatic events that led to a deep wound. You can therefore see PTSD as one of the ways trauma manifests itself. There are also many other symptoms that can arise from trauma, such as depression, physical pain, anxiety, or difficulty in relationships.
Whether or not you have the diagnosis of PTSD, your pain and experiences are real and deserve attention.
You can read more about this in the background article PTSD: what it is and how to recognize it.
Read the question too What is meant by complex trauma or CPTSS?
