Coping with Exposure to Trauma and Difficult Graphic Content

A traumatic event is a situation in which a person is exposed to a direct threat of death or severe injury to themselves and/or their loved ones. Exposure to a traumatic event can occur when the person is directly experiencing it or witnessing or learning that the event has happened to a loved one. It can also occur when professionals – such as first responders, police officers, and mental health professionals – are repeatedly exposed to aversive details of a traumatic event. Traumatic events can lead to the development of an acute stress response and, over time, even post-traumatic stress disorder. War exposes entire populations to a prolonged state of imminent threat to life, in other words, a “Continuous Traumatic Threat.” In this situation, the individual focuses on survival, self-preservation, and safeguarding the immediate surroundings from the external threat.