What is medical trauma, and how can it be prevented?
- Dignity 4Patients
- Aug 26
- 4 min read
Clinical Psychologist Niamh Delmar looks at the impact of medical trauma and how it may be prevented.
Medical-related experiences can lead to significant psychological distress among certain patients.
By Niamh Delmar - 26/08/2026 - RTE - [Ireland]
The onset of medical trauma may arise as a result of health-related emergencies, procedures, surgeries, ongoing treatments or childbirth.
Acute trauma follows a single distressing event such as a car accident, stroke or heart attack.
Chronic trauma develops from ongoing medical interventions.
Complex trauma involves multiple traumas, often including a history of childhood abuse.
Secondary trauma is the witnessing of loved ones suffering.
Symptoms of medical trauma include anxiety, panic, depression, hypervigilance, recurring memories and flashbacks. Following negative healthcare experiences, patients may avoid further treatment. Healthcare settings, even a hospital smell, can become triggering.
As a person's nervous system is disrupted, pain sensitivity, sleep disturbance, irritability and feeling out of control or unsafe can occur. The fight, flight or freeze response gets activated, causing distress and intruding on daily functioning.
As the focus in medical environments is mostly on the physical recovery, medical trauma tends to get overlooked.
In fact, studies have revealed that many patients display psychological and physical effects of ICU treatment up to 12 months post-discharge.
Research has also identified the impact on a person's well-being, and caregivers may also experience symptoms of trauma.
Children and their families may be affected, too. According to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, it can be a consequence of "pain, injury, serious illness, medical procedures and invasive or frightening treatment experiences."
Adjustment to life-changing ways of living takes time and can have serious repercussions. A grieving process may arise as the loss of independence and changes to the body alter the life that once was.
Uncertainty and the anticipatory anxiety of waiting for results or further treatments are exhausting. Developmental phases can be disrupted as a result of healthcare issues. Interruptions to social life, relationships, education or career intensify traumatic effects.
Existential struggles with identity, mortality and meaning in life exacerbate trauma.
Trauma is not the event, but the individual's response to it.
A trauma response is how an individual's nervous system responds to the experience. Susceptibility to developing medical trauma is multifactorial. Risk factors include previous interpersonal trauma and childhood abuse.
Studies have found that psychosocial risk factors, such as early childhood adversity, may decrease resilience to traumatic stress. Furthermore, past trauma events are associated with a more severe reaction to subsequent traumas.
People experiencing high levels of stress are also more at risk of developing medical trauma. The capacity to cope gets depleted. Not being fully informed, a lack of compassionate support, and feeling dismissed lead to bad outcomes of treatment.
Negative interactions with medical staff can trigger or intensify symptoms. Preexisting mental health conditions and a lack of trust in the care being received can also be associated with trauma responses. Enduring pain and the quality of healthcare settings are further contributing factors.
Preventions and Interventions
Reach out and express how you are emotionally. People often feel as if they should not complain and feel grateful to be alive, but it's important to give yourself space to feel sad or angry.
Calm your nervous system with nature, physical activity, breath work, body-based and grounding techniques and meditation.
If possible, engage in trauma-informed therapy. Use relevant organisations, helplines and support groups. Check in with your GP as an extra source of support and guidance.
Explore ways to limit current stress in your life. Clinicians need to be aided in identifying symptoms of medical trauma. Assessment of patients could include psychological aspects using a person-centred approach involving compassion.
Professional and empathetic communication from medical staff is associated with patients coping and recovering more effectively. It is essential for trust in the care and treatment being given to be fostered.
Healthcare settings influence psychological well-being and, therefore, should be safe, clean and comfortable. Preventative methods include the identification of risk factors such as pre-existing mental health conditions, life stressors or previous trauma.
Psychological assessments and diagnostic tools, such as the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, can be utilised.
I believe that medical professionals should fully inform patients about their treatment and recovery to alleviate aftershocks. People need to feel validated and not have their experience minimised.
With staff in hospital settings overstretched, perhaps inpatient and outpatient mental health professionals could offer trauma-based CBT and other evidence-based therapies pre- and post-discharge.
At home, research has shown that post-trauma interventions, such as social support, can significantly influence outcomes. The support from loved ones to adjust and cope is also beneficial.
If you have been affected by the issues raised in this article, support is available.
If you have previously used our service, we encourage you to get in touch again for support.
We also welcome contact from anyone who wishes to participate in an inquiry process, including individuals with relevant information, whether or not they are victims.
The Dignity4Patients helpline is open Monday to Thursday, from 10.00am to 4.00pm.
Contact the team by phone on 041 984 3730 or text 086 165 4111.
Dignity4Patients Commentary: RTÉ’s article on medical trauma is a valuable contribution to the wider conversation about how healthcare experiences can affect people psychologically, particularly when patients feel vulnerable, powerless or unsupported. While the article does not specifically address sexual abuse in healthcare settings, its focus on recognising, preventing and responding to trauma experienced in healthcare is an important step towards a broader understanding of trauma-informed care. This can help create safer, more responsive healthcare environments that recognise and support people who have experienced trauma, including sexual misconduct while accessing healthcare.
