Trauma is used to refer both to negative events that produce distress and to the distress itself. Technically, "trauma" refers only to the event, not the reaction, and should be reserved for major events that are psychologically overwhelming for an individual.
American Psychiatric Association [APA] specifically defines a trauma as direct personal experience of an event that involves actual or threatened death or serious injury, or other threat to one's physical integrity; or witnessing an event that involves death, injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of another person; or learning about unexpected or violent death, serious harm, or threat of death or injury experienced by a family member or other close associate. The person's response to the event must involve intense fear, helplessness, or horror or in children, the response must involve disorganized or agitated behavior.
Peertechz's Open Journal of Trauma is an interdisciplinary forum that publishes manuscripts on all aspects of clinical management, operative treatment and related research of traumatic injuries. Open Journal of trauma promotes through its manuscripts scientific progress and in-depth clinical research within individual disciplines to contribute to the ongoing continuous improvement of trauma care.
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