Trauma, << TRAW muh, >> in psychiatry, is an unpleasant emotional experience of such intensity that it leaves a lasting impression on the mind. Psychoanalysts believe that childhood traumatic experiences sometimes lead to later emotional symptoms. The study of such traumas plays an important part in the psychotherapeutic treatment given to the emotionally ill (see Psychotherapy).
Traumas that occur during adulthood also may have effects that require psychiatric treatment. Such traumas may be physical—such as a serious injury or illness—or psychological. In some cases, an unusually severe trauma may result in a type of mental disorder called a post-traumatic stress disorder.
