Most Common Trauma Issues
Here’s an exhaustive and categorized list of the key issues people with complex trauma often struggle with, based on trauma-informed psychology, somatic therapy, and attachment theory.
This list can help guide your coaching sessions, assessments, or even be adapted into reflection tools.
A. Core Self-Concept & Identity
- Chronic low self-worth / self-esteem
- Persistent shame and self-blame
- Inner critic or harsh self-judgment
- Difficulty identifying personal needs and values
- Feeling like a burden or “too much”
- Difficulty recognizing personal strengths
- Impostor syndrome
- Fear of being seen or taking up space
- Confusion about identity (who I am vs. who I was told to be)
B. Boundaries & Relational Patterns
- Difficulty saying no or setting limits
- Feeling guilty for having needs
- Overgiving, caretaking, or people-pleasing
- Avoiding conflict at all costs
- Tolerating mistreatment or abuse
- Collapsing boundaries when emotionally triggered
- Confusion between love and obligation
- Fawning as a survival strategy
- Struggling to balance independence with connection
C. Emotion Regulation & Nervous System Dysregulation
- Difficulty identifying or expressing emotions
- Frequent emotional overwhelm or shutdown
- Emotional flashbacks without clear context
- Chronic anxiety, panic, or fear
- Numbing or dissociating during stress
- Rage or irritability outbursts
- Freeze or collapse response
- Difficulty soothing oneself without external validation
- Feeling emotionally “too much” or “not enough”
D. Trauma Responses & Coping Strategies
- Hypervigilance or scanning for danger
- Avoidance of reminders, situations, or intimacy
- Overcontrolling environments, people, or outcomes
- Perfectionism as a survival mechanism
- Self-sabotage or procrastination cycles
- Addiction or compulsive behaviors (food, substances, sex, screens, etc.)
- Disconnection from the body or physical cues
- Nightmares, insomnia, or restlessness
- Chronic pain or psychosomatic symptoms
E. Relationship Dynamics & Attachment
- Insecure attachment (anxious, avoidant, disorganized)
- Distrust of others or fear of betrayal
- Over-dependence or fear of abandonment
- Isolation or pushing people away
- Re-enacting trauma in relationships
- Struggles with intimacy or vulnerability
- Inability to identify healthy vs. unsafe people
- Fear of being emotionally “too much” or “not enough”
- Fantasizing about rescue or ideal relationships
F. Autonomy, Power, and Agency
- Fear of making decisions
- Reliance on others for validation or direction
- Lack of trust in personal intuition or judgment
- Fear of success or visibility
- Passive waiting for life to change
- Resistance to taking action (freeze/fawn loop)
- Chronic inner conflict around wants vs. shoulds
G. Inner Parts & Fragmentation
- Feeling like “different selves” at different times
- Parts that sabotage progress or act against each other
- Inner child parts stuck in fear, shame, or longing
- Inner protector parts that shut down vulnerability
- Difficulty integrating emotional experiences
- Struggling to lead from a wise or centered inner Self
H. Spiritual and Existential Struggles
- Disconnection from meaning or purpose
- Religious or spiritual trauma
- Feeling abandoned by God / Source / community
- Trying to spiritually bypass pain or trauma
- Longing for inner peace but not feeling safe enough to rest
- Using faith to invalidate emotions or avoid boundaries
I. Daily Functioning and Self-Care
- Struggling with consistency and routine
- Executive dysfunction (difficulty initiating/following through)
- Neglecting personal needs or hygiene
- Burnout from over-functioning or emotional labor
- Feeling overwhelmed by small tasks
- Difficulty with transitions and planning
- Shame around "basic" adulting