| |
AFUW-ACT
Inc. Meeting Report
Topic: TRAUMA
Speaker: ANNMAREE JUBB
Trauma is generally defined as a very life-threatening event. The degree
of trauma often depends on how it is perceived by the victim. . PHYSIOLOGICAL
REACTIONS come very quickly as the body responds to protect itself and
to activate the sympathetic nervous system so maximum strength is generated.
Heart rate speeds up and digestion shuts down.
NORMAL EMOTIONAL REACTIONS - occur a little time later. There is usually
shock and numbness: a feeling of disbelief; a great fear, a feeling
of helplessness - what can I do? Depression and sadness are some of
the feelings associated with the experience. There can be memory problems,
flash backs, inability to make decisions, phobias, irritability, reduced
concentration, distressing dreams, wanting to be alone.
WHAT CAN HELP RECOVERY - Telling the story over and over is a help to
recovery. Relaxation is also helpful as it switches off the mechanism,
so is exercise, thinking and dreaming.
POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER After the First World War this was called
shellshock and War nerves in second WW. Most people do not recognize
that their behaviour is related to previous trauma. One man had road
rage whenever he saw a car with a Victorian number plate; it turned
out that he had been run into when young by a Victorian car and he kept
seeing that number plate for 20 years. A woman who wanted to go to a
wedding in UK had panic attacks over flying; she discovered it was because
she had been locked in a meat safe as a child and couldn't get out.
Even at 70 years of age treatment made it possible for her to overcome
the trauma.
COMMON SYMPTOMS are withdrawal from relationships, insomnia, hypervigilance,
panic attacks, periods of amnesia, inability to control anger, difficulty
in swallowing, anorexia, binging, chronic pains, disturbed view of the
self as ugly, unlovable.
TREATMENT - Most clients are not aware that their behaviour is related
to previous trauma. Presenting symptoms can be rage, sleeplessness,
headaches, lack of concentration, bad dreams and many more. So it is
necessary to take a thorough life history of the client. For adults
who are not able to recall some years of their childhood, the pain is
too difficult to acknowledge but they may with help be able to get rid
of some of the pain. Different psychological approaches are then used
to allow the person to express the fear around the traumatic event in
a safe and caring environment to allow grieving for all kinds of losses
and gradually normalize the feelings.
MEMORIES OF TRAUMA- Thinking about the trauma, flashbacks and dreams
are normal, do not fight them; write down your thoughts and feelings.
Avoid alcohol, it is a depressant. Let relations know you are more irritable
than usual. If a person has been sexually abused he/she is unable to
talk about it. They have feelings of being unloved, which are caused
by trauma. Early child abuse shows later as not liking to be touched.
Trauma debriefing helps. In the Thredbo tragedy counsellors should not
have gone there immediately after the event - such help should be at
least 10 days later when people can then deal better with their fears
and anxieties and do not internalize the trauma.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP RECOVERY - Talk about the event; re-establish
a normal routine, exercise and relaxation will help to overcome physical
reactions and make you feel calm. It was recognized that if one allowed
people to express their emotions around a traumatic event, the very
painful experience of PTSD could be avoided.
|
|
