How is trauma defined in a psychological context?

In a psychological context, trauma is defined as a deeply distressing experience that significantly impacts an individual's emotional and psychological health. This definition encompasses not only the immediate emotional response to an event but also how that event affects an individual over time. A deeply distressing experience can be something like abuse, accidents, natural disasters, or the loss of a loved one. It is the intensity and the lasting effects of these experiences that contribute to the psychological definition of trauma.

Other options, while related to aspects of trauma, do not capture its full essence. Severe emotional distress may be a symptom or result of trauma, rather than defining the experience itself. Chronic mental illness refers to long-term psychological conditions that may arise from trauma but are not synonymous with the trauma itself. Interpersonal conflict may cause distress, but it does not encompass the wider range of traumatic experiences that can lead to psychological trauma.