“Midsommar”: Unraveling the impact of early-life trauma through art

The concept of “Trauma” is very popular, even among those who are unfamiliar with most psychological concepts. Although definitions may vary, the term usually refers to an experience or event, that causes distress on the person, to the point that it impacts their ability to cope and function, and can also cause intense psychological and emotional reactions, affecting their wellbeing (APA,2013). Trauma, including one-time events, but not limited to, not only leaves long lasting and repetitive effects on the survivor, but also affects everyone differently. According to the nature and type of trauma, and how it correlates with the personality of the individual who has experienced it, the way those effects manifest can be obvious, and can clearly impact cognitive functioning, in a way that we can clearly measure and diagnose it as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, trauma, might also be subtle and quiet, in cases where the symptoms do not specifically fall under the diagnostic criteria checklist, since these effects might be insidious, can be easily overlooked and, in turn, become destructive for the individual experiencing them (SAMHSA, 2014). The immediate reactions following the traumatic event are usually quite complicated and are shaped by the survivors’ personal experiences, their ability to.