Download Traumatic Stress

Traumatic
Stress
Agnė
Bružaitė
Psbd8-01
Content
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Causes;
Traumatic events;
Reactions to traumatic events;
Acute stress disorder (ASD);
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD);
Trauma in childhood;
How to cope;
Treatment.
Traumatic events
• Traumatic events are
shocking and
emotionally
overwhelming
situations.
• These events might
involve actual or
threatened death,
serious injury, or
sexual or other
physical assault.
Traumatic events
One-time occurrences:
• Natural disasters;
• House fire;
• Violent crime;
• Airplane accident;
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Ongoing, repeated:
Combat or war;
Child abuse;
Neglect;
Domestic violence;
• Enduring physical, sexual, emotional, or other
forms of abuse.
Reactions to traumatic events
• Anxiety;
• Shock;
• Personal or social
disconnection;
• Confusion, fear,
hopelessness;
• Helplessness,
sleeplessness,
physical pain.
Reactions to traumatic events
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Grief, anger;
Aggressiveness;
Mistrustfulness;
Guilt, shame;
Shaken religious faith;
Loss of confidence in
self or others.
Reactions to traumatic events
• Loss of memory;
• Physical and
psychological
flashbacks;
• Sometimes a
smaller
hippocampus;
• Physical disorders;
Reactions to traumatic events
• Nightmares;
• Sleep disturbance;
• Depression;
Acute stress disorder (ASD)
ASD describes experiences of:
• Dissociation (e.g., feelings of unreality or
disconnection);
• Intrusive thoughts and images;
Acute stress disorder (ASD)
• Efforts to avoid reminders of the
traumatic experiences;
• Symptoms persist from two days to
four weeks.
Post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD)
• When experiences that were mentioned
before last more than a month;
• Post-traumatic stress disorder was first
recognised as 'shell shock' in veterans of
the First World War;
• Statistics: 7%-8% of people in the United
States will likely develop PTSD in their
lifetime;
Post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD)
• Women are twice
as likely as men to
develop PTSD;
• Pregnant women
who have PTSD
may influence their
children.
Post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD)
• A person can recovery within 6 months or
the symptoms can last much longer and
become a chronic condition;
• The symptoms may be worse if the trauma
was initiated by another person such as a
kidnapping, rape or torture.
Signs of PTSD
• People tend to
avoid places,
people, or other
things that remind
them of the event
(may develop to
phobia);
• Recurring
nightmares;
Signs of PTSD
• Chronic physical
hyper arousal;
• Lack of interest in
activities that used
to be enjoyed;
Trauma in childhood
Person who was traumatized in
childhood may suffer:
• Revictimization (being harmed again);
• Aggression;
• Identity disturbance;
Trauma in childhood
• Bodily problems
without
detectable
physical cause;
• Relationship
problems.
Helping yourself
• Stay connected to natural support
systems;
• Taking care of basic needs;
• Keeping to routines and activities;
• Finding ways to assist someone else.
Psychological First Aid
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Psychological first aid creates and
sustains an environment of:
Safety;
Calming;
Connectedness to others;
Self-efficacy or empowerment;
Hopefulness.
What you should DO:
• Do help people
meet basic
needs for food
and shelter, and
obtain
emergency
medical attention
(safety);
What you should DO:
• Do listen to people who wish to share
their stories and emotions and
remember there is no wrong or right
way to feel (calming);
What you should DO:
• Do be friendly
and
compassionate
even if people
are being difficult
(calming).
What you should DO:
• Do help people contact friends or loved
ones (connectedness).
• Do give practical suggestions that steer
people towards helping themselves (selfefficacy).
Do not :
• Don’t force people to share their stories
with you;
• Don’t give simple reassurances like
“everything will be ok” or “at least you
survived”;
DO not:
• Don’t tell people
what you think they
should be feeling,
thinking or doing
now or how they
should have acted
earlier;
• Don’t make
promises that may
not be kept.
Treatment
• Interpersonal, relational, and
psychodynamic psychotherapies;
• Anxiety management, cognitive
therapy and exposure therapy;
• A combination of psychotherapy and
medication;
References
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http://www.istss.org/resources/what_is_traumatic_stress.cfm (2009 11 03)
http://www.centerforthestudyoftraumaticstress.org/resources/categorylisting.
php (2009 11 03);
PICTURES:
http://www.faqs.org/health/images/uchr_05_img0496.jpg
http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/4597346/81417main_Full.jpg
www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/on-line/brain/images
http://www.onlinecounselingblog.com/2009/06/post-traumatic-stressdisorder/
http://www.scientificamerican.com/media/inline/post-traumatic-stresstrap_1.jpg
http://www.iandodds.co.uk/images/20090301202656_foreign_service_journ
al_1.jpg
http://www.iandodds.co.uk/images/20090301202656_foreign_service_journ
al_1.jpg
http://helpingpsychology.com/wpcontent/uploads/2009/09/iStock_000003781332Small.jpg
(All watched at 2009 11 05)