There's a difference between experiencing the trauma of a natural disaster and the trauma of a rape, between a traumatic event and chronic trauma.

Survivors of trauma and experts explore the chance for post-traumatic growth (PTG) from the traumas of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez spoke about the way the trauma she's lived through as a survivor of sexual assault and the Capitol riot "compounds on each other." People of color are demanding greater recognition for the mental and physical toll racial trauma takes on their lives.

While some people are working to raise awareness about the prevalence of trauma, others are inadvertently diluting the term, often by using it hyperbolically: "I'm traumatized by what I ate last night" or "I accidentally killed my plant and now I'm traumatized." .

Many trauma experts define the term broadly in their work as a way of offering patients agency in identifying the trauma in their own lives. .

Cubbage said sometimes people conflate trauma with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which has its own clinical definition and outlines clusters of specific symptoms. Not everyone who experiences trauma will experience PTSD, but that doesn't mean they're not having prolonged difficulty functioning.

But because of the overwhelming nature of a traumatic experience, trauma produces a bio-psycho-social response that can change how we react to things in the long-term – loud sounds, crowded trains, the opposite sex. .

But it's also true that different types of trauma affect people differently.

There's a difference between experiencing the trauma of a natural disaster and the trauma of interpersonal violence.

There's also a difference between an acute one-time traumatic event, such as a car accident, and chronic or complex trauma.

At the same time, you can have six people experience the same event and some will be able to quickly return to homeostasis and find a sense of safety again, while others will develop long-term trauma symptoms or even PTSD. .

There are some correlations we can identify, but, by and large, we don't know who's going to bounce back after a trauma and who's going to experience it more for longer and maybe more deeply."

Sachs said comparing two people's reactions to a trauma is also complicated by the fact that many trauma survivors experience a delayed onset of trauma symptoms

If two people experience a trauma and one person bounces back while the other struggles, there is sometimes the misperception that one person is more resilient

It's also important, experts say, for trauma survivors to give themselves permission to hurt and heal, to recognize they're not weak for struggling

Trauma survivors are capable of post traumatic growth, where they become stronger and their lives grow richer and more meaningful in its aftermath

All experts agree a person's healing and opportunity for transformation is closely connected to their environment, how the people around them respond and whether support is accessible.