The distinction between persona traits and trauma-coping behaviors is commonly misunderstood, resulting in dangerous misjudgments about folks.
Character traits describe steady, long-term thought, feeling, and motion patterns.
Trauma-coping behaviors, however, develop as survival methods when somebody faces overwhelming or painful experiences.
Dr. Jason N. Linder, Psy.D., LMFT, a bilingual licensed therapist specializing in trauma, relationships, and mindfulness, has seen this confusion trigger actual hurt in his work with shoppers.
He explains, “Whereas these methods seemingly helped people endure traumatic conditions, they’ll persist lengthy after the menace or trauma(s) have handed…and thus threat turning into misinterpreted as ‘persona traits.’”
Understanding true persona traits
Character traits should not tied to 1 occasion. They’re influenced by genetics, biology, and atmosphere, and stay regular throughout time.
For instance, somebody who is of course introverted prefers solitude due to temperament, not due to trauma.
Psychologists usually describe persona by way of the Massive 5 persona traits: conscientiousness, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and neuroticism.
These tendencies form how folks construct relationships, deal with work, and reply to challenges.
In contrast to coping mechanisms or protection mechanisms, persona traits should not rooted in a single survival expertise.
When survival methods are misunderstood
Trauma-coping methods are completely different. They emerge when the thoughts and physique want survival methods to endure trauma reminiscent of neglect, abuse, or violence.
These coping mechanisms may embody:
- Hypervigilance: scanning continuously for hazard.
- Individuals-pleasing: prioritizing others to keep away from battle or abandonment.
- Avoidance: steering away from reminders of trauma.
- Emotional numbing: shutting down to dam overwhelming emotions.
Whereas these behaviors as soon as protected people, they usually stay lengthy after the hazard has handed.
For instance, a toddler who discovered to throw tantrums in a neglectful residence may carry that habits into maturity.
What was as soon as a survival tactic turns into mislabeled as a flaw of their persona.
This overlap between trauma responses and enduring tendencies usually creates confusion.
As Dr. Linder notes on Psychology Right now, “The Venn-diagram-like overlap between trauma responses and persona traits usually engenders confusion, mislabeling, and mischaracterization.”
How trauma can distort persona traits
Trauma may even masks or distort pure persona traits. A pleasant, social little one might withdraw after trauma, main others to imagine their isolation is a everlasting a part of their persona.
Conversely, somebody who values independence may out of the blue rely on others after a painful loss, not due to persona, however as a consequence of coping mechanisms.
Youngsters who develop up ignored or ignored usually develop disruptive behaviors to get consideration.
These survival methods may go within the second, however threat being misjudged as ingrained traits. Over time, mislabeling can reinforce the very coping mechanisms that trauma created.
“The tragedy I’ve periodically witnessed in my observe is when a toddler’s trauma and survival coping turn into constantly mislabeled as their persona over time,” mentioned Dr. Linder.
He added that this mislabeling can truly reinforce the coping methods, main the person to mistakenly imagine they’re a part of their persona, although they initially arose solely as adaptive responses to a traumatic context.
The true-world price of misinterpretation
The confusion between persona traits and trauma-coping behaviors has severe penalties.
When protection mechanisms are mistaken for everlasting traits, folks could also be labeled “chilly,” “troublesome,” or “dangerous.” This stigma can result in disgrace, isolation, and strained relationships.
One instance seems amongst veterans who return from fight. After years of publicity, even small triggers like loud noises might set off automated survival methods, reminiscent of reaching for a weapon.
These coping mechanisms, whereas as soon as life-saving, are later mistaken for persona flaws somewhat than seen as indicators of trauma.
Such mislabeling doesn’t simply have an effect on people—it may unfold throughout households and generations.
A baby repeatedly advised they’re “dangerous” due to their coping behaviors might develop up believing it, creating cycles of trauma that proceed into maturity and past.
A path towards therapeutic
Breaking this cycle begins with recognizing the distinction between persona traits and trauma-driven coping mechanisms.
Doing so creates area for empathy, readability, and compassion.
As Dr. Linder concludes, “Precisely distinguishing one’s persona from their trauma-coping, particularly when their habits appears ‘dangerous,’ can assist curb this intergenerational trauma and turn into a potent drive for good and therapeutic on the earth.”
By seeing behaviors in context, folks can start to separate who they’re at their core from the survival methods they as soon as relied upon.
This understanding not solely transforms relationships but in addition opens the door to better compassion on a world scale.
Watch this quick video from Psych2Go concerning the on a regular basis issues folks with trauma do—and the way they’re usually mistaken for persona traits:
Associated Posts:
