Trauma
Trauma
Trauma and Post Trauma Stress Disorder
Trauma comes in big, medium and small sizes. We don't ask for it, it just happens when you least expect it. It is how we react to a traumatic accident/incident that is important to our mental well-being.
In fact we can view any reaction to be normal to what can be called an abnormal event in your life, although you may not view your reactions as being normal if they are not within your perception of your usual character.
A trauma can be described as an emotional shock following a stressful event, accident or incident no matter how large or how small.
Post Trauma Stress Disorder (P.T.S.D.) is the combination of the emotional, physical, psychological, and behavioural reactions that may be experienced days, weeks, months even years after a traumatic accident or incident.
We frequently think of trauma in relation to armed conflict or maybe natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, major fires, even transport disasters.
The list could go on, in fact there is a criteria laid out that states if a person has been exposed to a traumatic event or incident in that they have experienced, witnessed or had been confronted with an event that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of themselves or others and their response involved intense fear, helplessness or horror then this event is considered a traumatic incident or accident.
However, in everyday life many other or smaller events can be so overwhelming and frightening to some people that can be noted as a trauma in their life and the effects remain for some time after and indeed can be carried throughout their life if left untreated. We are all different in how we react and not everyone goes on continuing to suffer the effects as a result of the trauma.
The sort of reactions that could be present following a trauma are:
1. Re-experiencing the - event were the memories of accident or incident intrudes during either the day or your nighttime sleep.
2. Arousal reactions - you feel nervous, agitated, anxious, tense, and unable to settle or concentrate, you also over react to happenings and you find going to sleep difficult.
3. Avoidance reactions - you avoid anything that could remind you of the trauma including talking, thinking and travelling the same route or being in the same place or similar to where the incident/accident took place.
It is likely for some people that these trauma reactions will subside in time. Unfortunately for some it is difficult to switch off from the reactions and they will continue to either a lesser or greater extent. It has been theorised that the body retains the memories that the mind is not ready or able to process. In fact the chemical adrenalin surge from the fight, flight or freeze reaction has not switched off and you react to even the smallest reminder of the trauma - a sound, a smell, a scene or even a colour can place you on the alert level.
Help is at hand. The therapies that are most beneficial in helping to work through and resolve a trauma conflict are those of Cognitive Behaviour Counselling and E.M.D.R.
Trauma and P.T.S.D. Battlefield To Street
Reintegration back into civilian life can be a difficult and challenging experience for some Service Personnel. Their training, knowledge and skills are still very much part of them and so adjusting to a completely different environment, family, work life and indeed life in general can be testing, as can be their expectations on the return.
It is only normal to expect stress reactions following any traumatic experience such as those experienced during combat. For some it is just a matter of time before they are able to process what they feel and adjust to life again. For others these stress symptoms deepen and continue evolving into post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is not an easy process to overcome these symptoms and sometimes strategies to cope may in turn be more harmful than do good, such as turning to drinking alcohol in larger quantities than previously, drugs, withdrawal from everyday life events, turning inward to isolation, Using anger or aggression that previously would not have happened.
The immediate family also goes through a period of re adjustment; sensing and watching that feeling of stress within their family member can also manifest stress within themselves. They find they are unable to do anything to help and then a possible sense of loneliness and disengagement fractures the previously good relationship within the family unit.
Professional help and support is needed to overcome and return a sense of balance, well-being and a hopefulness for the future.