Trauma is the sum of all the changes we undergo in the aftermath of overwhelming, negative experiences that exceed our ability to cope. Adversity - particularly when it's chronic and experienced at an early age - can leave a lasting imprint on us, modifying how our minds and bodies work. The changes in our patterns of thought, feeling and behaviour as a result of adversity are often called traumatic adaptations . Constant hypervigilance, emotional disconnect, reluctance to tr