Big Swiss explores the effects of long-term, unresolved trauma. Both Big Swiss and Greta have had traumatic experiences, but they deal with their traumas very differently. Big Swiss refuses her victimhood and turns away from her trauma. She compartmentalizes her assault as a part of her past that has no place in her present or her future. Greta has not reflected on or dealt with her trauma, preventing her from developing identity, strong emotional connections, and goals for happiness and stability.

Trauma has a direct influence over a human being’s neurobiology. There are three types of trauma: Acute trauma is suffered from a single incident; chronic trauma is developed through constant exposure to the same trauma, such as in a situation of domestic abuse; complex trauma is developed through varied and multiple traumatic events. Greta’s trauma resembles complex trauma, as she has experienced several different isolated traumas throughout her life, whereas Big Swiss suffers from acute trauma from her assault.

Psychologists believe that there are four responses to trauma: flight, fight, freeze, and fawn. Greta is both a fleer and a freezer. She literally flees from her trauma by breaking up with Stacy, quitting therapy, and moving far away.