retraumatizing
Reopening old wounds
Retraumatizing is causing someone to experience trauma again, typically by exposing them to reminders of an original traumatic event.
The term appears frequently in discussions of therapy, legal proceedings, and media coverage: Forcing victims to repeatedly recount their assault can be retraumatizing.
The concern is that well-intentioned interventions may inflict additional psychological harm.
Involuntary past memory
- panicUncontrollable sudden fear
- hypervigilanceHeightened threat sensitivity
- dissociationMental separation from surroundings
- nightmareFrightening dream causing wakefulness
intrusive thoughts · numbness · avoidance · startle response · reexperiencing · distress · overwhelm · anxiety
Coming up again
- relivingMentally revisiting past events
- hauntingDisturbingly unforgettable
- body memoryTrauma stored in tissues
- emotional memoryRecollection shaped by feelings
unbidden · echoing · reactivation · scar · imprint · unprocessed · fragmentary
Memory aid
- stimulusWhat prompts a reaction
- anniversaryRecurring memorial date
- confrontationDirect hostile encounter
- exposureState of being unprotected
reencounter · news coverage · court testimony · interrogation · reenactment · public disclosure
Harmful professional negligence
- boundary violationDisregarding established limits
- revictimizationRepeated harm to prior sufferer
- invalidationAct of nullifying
- victim blamingFaulting those who suffered
Government care for children
- insurance denialRefusal to cover claim
- public scrutinyWidespread critical attention
- mandatory reportingLegal duty to notify authorities
flashback
Involuntary past memory
- panicUncontrollable sudden fear
- hypervigilanceHeightened threat sensitivity
- dissociationMental separation from surroundings
nightmare · intrusive thoughts · numbness · avoidance · startle response · reexperiencing · distress · overwhelm · anxiety · dread
resurfacing
Coming up again
- relivingMentally revisiting past events
- hauntingDisturbingly unforgettable
- body memoryTrauma stored in tissues
emotional memory · unbidden · echoing · reactivation · scar · imprint · unprocessed · fragmentary
reminder
Memory aid
- stimulusWhat prompts a reaction
- anniversaryRecurring memorial date
- confrontationDirect hostile encounter
exposure · reencounter · news coverage · court testimony · interrogation · reenactment · public disclosure
malpractice
Harmful professional negligence
- boundary violationDisregarding established limits
- revictimizationRepeated harm to prior sufferer
- invalidationAct of nullifying
victim blaming · insensitivity · countertransference · ethical breach
foster system
Government care for children
- insurance denialRefusal to cover claim
- public scrutinyWidespread critical attention
- mandatory reportingLegal duty to notify authorities
retraumatizinghealing
Restoration of health
therapeutic · restorative · rehabilitating · recovering · mending
retraumatizingtrauma-informed
Aware of wounding's effects
stabilizing · grounding · empowering · repairing · mending
retraumatizinghealing
Restoration of health
therapeutic · restorative · soothing · comforting · nurturing
trauma, traumatic, retraumatization, traumatize, traumatized, traumatizing, traumatizes, retraumatized, retraumatize