Retraumatization refers to the recurrence of traumatic stress symptoms upon exposure to multiple traumatic events - a major issue for survivors  due to their compounded risk for higher rates of retraumatization, as well as more severe and chronic trauma-related reactions. This term has also been used to refer to the re-experiencing of traumatic stress symptoms when a new situation is contextually similar in some way to the prior trauma(s) (e.g., certain feelings/emotions of being trapped; certain smells, sounds, or tactile feelings; certain interactions with others; etc.).