From a psychological flexibility perspective, both trauma responses and PTSD involve understandable reactions to overwhelming events. The difference is less about the presence of distress, and more about the degree to which patterns of avoidance, fusion, and threat responding begin to narrow a person’s life.
This handout outlines key differences and overlaps between trauma as an emotional response and PTSD as a diagnosable condition. It can serve as a useful reminder for practitioners when working with clients.
Download Trauma and PTSD - Similarities and differences