Last year, I had some major high-stress situations: bad gallbladder and gastritis (the illness was drawn out for several months before I finally had gallbladder surgery), severe anxiety along with the health problems, buying a new house (which almost didn't happen due to financial woes) which was also accompanied by severe anxiety, there was a lull for a bit, and then my husband had some work drama which ended in a layoff (he was unemployed for 5 months total), and in the middle of the unemployment period for hubby, our most beloved cat died. Throughout all of this, I had to be the rock to support my husband emotionally (he has no supportive friends or family to lean on, and he has quite a bit of emotional problems himself without being diagnosed with anything).

I'm still dealing with the gastritis and acid reflux problems. Hubby is still sometimes dealing with anger at life and God (I see it as depressive episodes). I'm becoming more stable, but I wonder if my ups and downs have anything to do with trauma? Is that the right term to use? Sure, we had a lot of major life events/ stressors happen, but was it traumatic? I tell ya, it sure felt like it.