LESSON 4
Stress vs Trauma
Understanding this distinction reduces shame.
Stress
Stress occurs when the nervous system responds to pressure or challenge.
Healthy stress can be temporary and motivating.
Examples:
deadlines
learning new skills
major life changes
Trauma
Trauma occurs when the nervous system becomes overwhelmed and unable to return to regulation.
It is not defined only by events.
It is defined by how the body experiences those events.
Two people can experience the same situation and have different nervous system responses.
Trauma is not weakness.
It is an adaptive survival response.