But beauflow, check the definition of "severe":

Definitions of severe (adj)

se·vere*[*sə vr*]***
harsh: very harsh or strict
dangerous: extremely bad or dangerous
stern: looking stern or serious
Synonyms: harsh, stern, strict, cruel, brutal, ruthless, relentless, rigorous, difficult

Severe doesn't mean "the worst possible."

What you went thru was certainly cruel & brutal, wasn't it? Just because it could have been even worse, that doesn't diminish how bad it was.

So don't think that anyone is lessening another's suffering by whatever word they apply to your case. These are psychological terms that mean specific things to the professionals, & generally not what they mean to ordinary folks like us.