adminDr Mazvita Machinga
EVERY day people are surrounded with stressful situations. While not everyone experiences a disorder after a traumatic event, it is important to know that most people end up being negatively affected by traumatic situations.
It is our body’s natural response to be worried and disturbed after a traumatic and life-threatening situation has occurred. But if the duration of the disturbance is prolonged, not attributed to another medical condition, causing clinically significant distress or impairment in important areas of human functioning, then that person needs professional counselling and psychotherapy. In our communities we see and hear about people exposed to actual or threatened death, serious injury, abuse and violence.
Some of the stressors are overwhelming enough to affect an individual’s physical well-being, behaviour, thoughts, emotions and spirituality. When the stressful situations are overwhelming they cause both acute stress disorder and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These conditions can be immense sources of overwhelming psychological and emotional distress.
Experiences of acute stress disorder and PTSD can arise from experiences in man-made and natural disasters; domestic violence; rape or sodomy; murder; robberies; serious accidents, for example, road traffic, burning buildings, workplace-related accidents and many more. Even when the person has received medical attention and may be physically healing, mentally, the persons may continue to be in distress and immobilised. They may be re-experiencing the traumatic event in their daily thoughts and dreams. Such people are determined to evade anything that would bring the traumatic event to mind, and they may undergo a numbing of responsiveness along with a state of hyper-arousal which can be very disabling. This state can lead to other symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and cognitive difficulties such as poor concentrations.
If four days after a traumatic experience, a person continues to have marked disturbances in arousal and reactions they need to get professional help since they may be having acute stress disorder. If after four weeks, a person continues to have intense, prolonged psychological distress marked with mental or bodily sensations they may be experiencing post traumatic stress disorder, they need immediate help. Unprocessed psychological and emotional trauma leads to serious problems and alterations in behaviour, feelings and quality of life. The following are some of the signs and symptoms that indicate that someone may be in need of counselling and psychotherapy.
a) Repeated thoughts of distressing memories of the traumatic event;
b) Repeated dreams in which the content and/or effect of the dream are related to the traumatic event, persistent muscle tension;
c) Flashbacks in which the individual feels or acts as if the traumatic event are happening again, mind going blank and panic attacks;
d) Persistent avoidance of people, places, activities or situations that arouse the distressing memories, thoughts and feelings closely related to traumatic event;
e) Persistent fear, guilt, anger or shame, sleep disturbances and substance abuse.
If someone is struggling with the after-effects of directly experiencing a traumatic event; or witnessing a traumatic event occurring to a close family member or another person; or experiencing repeated extreme exposure to adverse details of traumatic events such as abuse cases, let them know and give them reassurance that help is available. Listen in a caring way, give them information and refer them to local health and counselling institutions. Support from their social system should be encouraged and provided. Effective use of spiritual resources, education and development of positive coping mechanisms is very important in their healing and recovery process.
Dr Mazvita Machinga PhD is a qualified Psychotherapist in Mutare who offers professional counselling and psychotherapy. For information on trauma counselling and other mental health issues contact [email protected] or call 0771 754 519.
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