What is the relationship between trauma and mental health?
• Research has shown that while people are initially distressed after a traumatic event, this distress will decrease over a few months for most people. There are however a small number of people that develop long-term mental health problems as a result of the event. This does not imply anything about the level or severity of an individual’s suffering except that some people respond to traumatic events in different ways. • History of trauma is a risk factor for depression. For example, a study of women that were homeless or lived in low-income housing and that had experienced major violence had a two-fold risk of depression. • Women who have experienced the following are at increased risk for depression: • Childhood sexual abuse • Being robbed • Living in low-income housing or a shelter • Domestic violence • Involvement in a car accident where someone is killed or seriously injured • Witnessing or discovering an unexpected death • Experiences of trauma can complicate treatment and slow
