Psychologist, PSY.D.
An event, that can cause you to fear for your safety or your very life can happen to anyone.
When such an event occurs, we are often so stunned by it, that we think “This isn’t supposed to happen to me or to someone I love. This only happens to other people.”
There are a variety of ways to experience such a trauma: a car accident, sexual assault, robbery, witnessing an illness or death, domestic violence, being a soldier, being left abruptly by your spouse or parents, and experiencing severe weather catastrophes.
Often when this happens, our bodies and minds do predictable things to protect ourselves. These symptoms might seem strange if you have never experienced them before.