Friday, April 14, 2006
How can I help myself and my family after a disaster or traumatic event?
How can I help myself and my family after a disaster or traumatic event?
There are a number of steps you can take to help restore emotional well being and a sense of control following a traumatic experience, including the following:
Give yourself time to heal. Anticipate that this will be a difficult time in your life.
Call about treatment and joining a PTSD support group that is led by an appropriately trained and experienced professional.
Increase contact with other survivors of trauma. It can be helpful to know that you are not the only one who shares your experience.
Reinvest in personal relationships with family and friends--people who will listen and empathize with your situation.
Engage in healthy behaviors, such as refraining from alcohol and drug abuse and starting an exercise program.
Volunteer in the community to help gain a sense of positive contribution.
Become knowledgeable about what to expect as a result of trauma.
When should I seek professional help after a traumatic event?
When should I seek professional help after a traumatic event?
Some people are able to cope effectively with the emotional and physical demands brought about by a natural disaster or other traumatic experience by using their own support systems. It is not unusual, however, to find that serious problems persist and continue to interfere with daily living. For example, some may feel overwhelming nervousness or lingering sadness that adversely affects job performance and interpersonal relationships.
Individuals with prolonged reactions that disrupt their daily functioning should consult with a trained and experienced mental health professional. Psychologists and other appropriate mental health providers help educate people about normal responses to extreme stress. These professionals work with individuals affected by trauma to help them find constructive ways of dealing with the emotional impact.
With children, continual and aggressive emotional outbursts, serious problems at school, preoccupation with the traumatic event, continued and extreme withdrawal, and other signs of intense anxiety or emotional difficulties all point to the need for professional assistance. A qualified mental health professional can help such children and their parents understand and deal with thoughts, feelings and behaviors that result from trauma.
Some people are able to cope effectively with the emotional and physical demands brought about by a natural disaster or other traumatic experience by using their own support systems. It is not unusual, however, to find that serious problems persist and continue to interfere with daily living. For example, some may feel overwhelming nervousness or lingering sadness that adversely affects job performance and interpersonal relationships.
Individuals with prolonged reactions that disrupt their daily functioning should consult with a trained and experienced mental health professional. Psychologists and other appropriate mental health providers help educate people about normal responses to extreme stress. These professionals work with individuals affected by trauma to help them find constructive ways of dealing with the emotional impact.
With children, continual and aggressive emotional outbursts, serious problems at school, preoccupation with the traumatic event, continued and extreme withdrawal, and other signs of intense anxiety or emotional difficulties all point to the need for professional assistance. A qualified mental health professional can help such children and their parents understand and deal with thoughts, feelings and behaviors that result from trauma.
Steps in Managing Traumatic Stress
Steps in Managing Traumatic Stress
Step One is recognizing the signs of posttraumatic stress. Trauma is so shocking that it causes memories that are impossible to forget or sometimes impossible to recall. Trauma memories often repeatedly come back when you are not trying to think about them. Memories arise as unpleasant thoughts or nightmares. Sometimes you may feel as if you cannot stop reliving the event. The shock of trauma also may create blank spaces in your memory because it is too much for the mind to handle, and so the mind takes a time out. Traumatic stress reactions are normal responses to abnormal events. Most people experience posttraumatic stress reactions for days or even weeks after a trauma. Usually these reactions become less severe over time, but they may persist and become a problem.
Step Two is recognizing the ways of coping with traumatic stress that are natural but don't work, because they actually prolong and worsen the normal posttraumatic stress reactions. The ways of coping that do not work include: Trying to avoid people, places, or thoughts that are reminders; shutting off feelings or connections to other people that are reminders; or being hyper-vigilant or on guard.
Trying to avoid bad memories, trying to shut out feelings or people, or trying to stay always alert may seem reasonable. However, they don't work because trauma controls your life if you run from it.
Step Three, is to get help from a professional specializing in helping people who are coping with traumatic stress reactions or PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder). Trauma memories cannot be erased, but the stress they cause can become very manageable.
Step One is recognizing the signs of posttraumatic stress. Trauma is so shocking that it causes memories that are impossible to forget or sometimes impossible to recall. Trauma memories often repeatedly come back when you are not trying to think about them. Memories arise as unpleasant thoughts or nightmares. Sometimes you may feel as if you cannot stop reliving the event. The shock of trauma also may create blank spaces in your memory because it is too much for the mind to handle, and so the mind takes a time out. Traumatic stress reactions are normal responses to abnormal events. Most people experience posttraumatic stress reactions for days or even weeks after a trauma. Usually these reactions become less severe over time, but they may persist and become a problem.
Step Two is recognizing the ways of coping with traumatic stress that are natural but don't work, because they actually prolong and worsen the normal posttraumatic stress reactions. The ways of coping that do not work include: Trying to avoid people, places, or thoughts that are reminders; shutting off feelings or connections to other people that are reminders; or being hyper-vigilant or on guard.
Trying to avoid bad memories, trying to shut out feelings or people, or trying to stay always alert may seem reasonable. However, they don't work because trauma controls your life if you run from it.
Step Three, is to get help from a professional specializing in helping people who are coping with traumatic stress reactions or PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder). Trauma memories cannot be erased, but the stress they cause can become very manageable.
What Happens to People After a Disaster
What Happens to People After a Disaster or Other Traumatic Event?
Note: Portions of this post were adapted from information provided by the National Center for PTSD. For more information visit www.ncptsd.va.gov
Have you ever felt so tense, discouraged, or angry that you were afraid you just couldn't cope; had an extremely stressful experience that you try not to think about, but it still continues to bother you or is repeated in nightmares; or felt constantly on guard or watchful, or been on edge or jumpy more than you really need to be? Have you ever had a family member who seemed troubled in these ways?
If so, this information is for you.
Trauma can cause severe stress, which may become unmanageable despite the best efforts of good stress management. Traumatic events cause severe stress reactions that are particularly hard to manage. Trauma involves a unique kind of physical/emotional shock that escalates the "fight-flight" stress response (feeling angry or scared) into "super-stress" (feeling terrified, stunned, horrified, like your life is passing before your eyes, or so overwhelmed you blank out).
If you have ever experienced or witnessed war, disaster, a terrible accident, sexual or physical abuse or assault, hate crime, kidnapping or hostage-taking, or life-threatening illnesses, you know the shock of trauma.
Traumatic stress can be managed, but special steps are necessary.
San Diego and National Resources that Can Help
Talk to Someone Who Can Help, a brochure from the American Psychological Association about psychotherapy and choosing a psychologist can be ordered free of charge. Call 1-800-964-2000
Find a Psychologist, referrals for psychologists in the San Diego area are available through the San Diego Psychological Association’s Psychologist Information and Referral Service: San Diego 619-291-3451; North County Coastal 760-436-5527; North County Inland 760-489-1415; Poway/Rancho Bernardo 858-484-1400
Coping with the Loss of a Loved One, San Diego County Hospice offers group and individual grief-focused therapy for children and adults (619) 688-1600; Survivors of Violent Loss Program offers a program to help adults deal with the loss of a loved one by suicide, homicide, or other unnatural cause (619) 497-6609
Help for Crime Victims, help and advocacy is available through the San Diego District Attorney’s Victim Assistance Program. Call 619-531-4041
National Organization for Victims Assistance, 1730 Park Road, NW, Washington, D.C. 20010; toll-free 1-800- TRY- NOVA; in D.C. metropolitan area, (202) 232-6682; www.try-nova.org
Coping with Terrorism, a document that offers tips on managing this type of stress, can be found on the web at www.helping.apa.org/daily/terrorism.html
A Terrible Thing Happened, a storybook for children who have witnessed a violent or traumatic event, can be ordered online from www.maginationpress.com
I’ll Know What To Do: A Kid’s Guide to Natural Disasters, Bonnie S. Mark, Ph.D., and Aviva Layton, illustrated by Michael Chesworth, a book that helps kids understand and cope with feelings/reactions to frightening natural disasters, order online www.maginationpress.com
The American Red Cross has brochures available on line: Helping Young Children Cope with Trauma, When Bad Things Happen, Disaster Preparedness for People with Disabilities, and How Do I Deal With My Feelings? These documents can be retrieved and printed from the website at www.redcross.org/pubs/dspubs/terrormat.html
The local chapter of the American Red Cross may be able to direct you to additional resources. The San Diego/Imperial County Chapter can be reached at 619-542-7400 or online at www.sdarc.org
Emotional Reactions to Disasters, University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service, is online at http://www.ag.uiuc.edu/~disaster/ facts/emotion.html
Find a Psychologist, referrals for psychologists in the San Diego area are available through the San Diego Psychological Association’s Psychologist Information and Referral Service: San Diego 619-291-3451; North County Coastal 760-436-5527; North County Inland 760-489-1415; Poway/Rancho Bernardo 858-484-1400
Coping with the Loss of a Loved One, San Diego County Hospice offers group and individual grief-focused therapy for children and adults (619) 688-1600; Survivors of Violent Loss Program offers a program to help adults deal with the loss of a loved one by suicide, homicide, or other unnatural cause (619) 497-6609
Help for Crime Victims, help and advocacy is available through the San Diego District Attorney’s Victim Assistance Program. Call 619-531-4041
National Organization for Victims Assistance, 1730 Park Road, NW, Washington, D.C. 20010; toll-free 1-800- TRY- NOVA; in D.C. metropolitan area, (202) 232-6682; www.try-nova.org
Coping with Terrorism, a document that offers tips on managing this type of stress, can be found on the web at www.helping.apa.org/daily/terrorism.html
A Terrible Thing Happened, a storybook for children who have witnessed a violent or traumatic event, can be ordered online from www.maginationpress.com
I’ll Know What To Do: A Kid’s Guide to Natural Disasters, Bonnie S. Mark, Ph.D., and Aviva Layton, illustrated by Michael Chesworth, a book that helps kids understand and cope with feelings/reactions to frightening natural disasters, order online www.maginationpress.com
The American Red Cross has brochures available on line: Helping Young Children Cope with Trauma, When Bad Things Happen, Disaster Preparedness for People with Disabilities, and How Do I Deal With My Feelings? These documents can be retrieved and printed from the website at www.redcross.org/pubs/dspubs/terrormat.html
The local chapter of the American Red Cross may be able to direct you to additional resources. The San Diego/Imperial County Chapter can be reached at 619-542-7400 or online at www.sdarc.org
Emotional Reactions to Disasters, University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service, is online at http://www.ag.uiuc.edu/~disaster/ facts/emotion.html
What Can Help Other than Therapy?
In addition to psychotherapy,
there are a number of steps you can take to help restore emotional well-being:
Begin a personal fitness program that includes cardiovascular exercise. This can be an important part of stress management and can help improve your mood and reduce anxiety.
Begin a journal to develop an emotional outlet.
Consult with your physician to rule out physical causes to your emotional distress. Sometimes medication can help.
Reinvest in personal relationships with family and friends--people who will listen and empathize with your situation. Social support in an important component of resilience to stress and mental illness.
Refrain from alcohol and drug use as a means to cope with stress.
Volunteer in the community to help gain a sense of positive contribution.
Spend more time doing pleasurable activities.
Join a relaxation or meditation group, such as Yoga.
there are a number of steps you can take to help restore emotional well-being:
Begin a personal fitness program that includes cardiovascular exercise. This can be an important part of stress management and can help improve your mood and reduce anxiety.
Begin a journal to develop an emotional outlet.
Consult with your physician to rule out physical causes to your emotional distress. Sometimes medication can help.
Reinvest in personal relationships with family and friends--people who will listen and empathize with your situation. Social support in an important component of resilience to stress and mental illness.
Refrain from alcohol and drug use as a means to cope with stress.
Volunteer in the community to help gain a sense of positive contribution.
Spend more time doing pleasurable activities.
Join a relaxation or meditation group, such as Yoga.
Developing a Therapeutic Relationship with a Psychologist
Step One is choosing a psychologist you feel comfortable working with. Ask people you trust (for example, a physician, friend or family member) if they have a psychologist or other therapist they would recommend. You can also call local referral services, such as those provided by the San Diego Psychological Association’s Psychologist Information and Referral Service (for more information see the back of this brochure). Gather the names and contact information of several psychologists who you think might be of help.
Step Two is to contact the psychologists whose information you have collected. Be an informed consumer. Call several different psychologists to get an idea of the services they provide. You can then schedule a preliminary session to meet with a psychologist you feel can meet your needs. It can sometimes be helpful to have an initial consultation with up to three different psychologists to help you choose one psychologist with whom you feel comfortable and who understands the problems you are experiencing.
Step Three, after choosing one psychologist you feel comfortable with, give yourself time to get acquainted with the therapy process. Initially it may feel awkward disclosing personal information to your new psychologist, but over a few sessions you will likely feel more at ease. You may start to see changes in your life immediately, since the supportive environment a psychologist can provide may ease the stress in your daily life. Other problems can take some time to begin to resolve themselves. The length of therapy varies widely, and will depend on your particular needs and situation.
Gregory Koch, Psy.D.
CompassionateHelp.com
Step Two is to contact the psychologists whose information you have collected. Be an informed consumer. Call several different psychologists to get an idea of the services they provide. You can then schedule a preliminary session to meet with a psychologist you feel can meet your needs. It can sometimes be helpful to have an initial consultation with up to three different psychologists to help you choose one psychologist with whom you feel comfortable and who understands the problems you are experiencing.
Step Three, after choosing one psychologist you feel comfortable with, give yourself time to get acquainted with the therapy process. Initially it may feel awkward disclosing personal information to your new psychologist, but over a few sessions you will likely feel more at ease. You may start to see changes in your life immediately, since the supportive environment a psychologist can provide may ease the stress in your daily life. Other problems can take some time to begin to resolve themselves. The length of therapy varies widely, and will depend on your particular needs and situation.
Gregory Koch, Psy.D.
CompassionateHelp.com
What is Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy is a unique relationship between yourself and a mental health professional (a psychologist or other type of therapist). This relationship will likely be different than any other relationship in your life, since the therapeutic relationship is confidential and the focus will always be on you.
Together, you and your psychologist will work to determine what types of thoughts, feelings, behaviors, or environmental situations are causing problems in your life. Psychologists work to create a supportive, non-judgmental environment that is tailored to your specific situation and needs. People begin psychotherapy for a wide range of reasons. Some typical examples of why people enter therapy are to reduce anxiety and/or depression, improve stress management, increase self-acceptance, improve self-esteem, cope with loss or trauma, reach new goals or promote personal growth.
Generally, psychotherapy is a useful tool in helping people cope with their problems.
Psychotherapy is an excellent vehicle to help people work through the problems they are experiencing, so they can move on and enjoy a life that is productive and fulfilling.
Some people seek out a therapist because their feelings are painful or disrupt their lives. Others see a therapist when they are unsatisfied with the direction their lives are going, or to eliminate unhealthy habits or patterns. However, you should discuss with a therapist any fears, concerns, or doubts you may have about the usefulness of psychotherapy in your individual case. With compassionate help, things can get better.
Gregory Koch, Psy.D.
CompassionateHelp.com
Together, you and your psychologist will work to determine what types of thoughts, feelings, behaviors, or environmental situations are causing problems in your life. Psychologists work to create a supportive, non-judgmental environment that is tailored to your specific situation and needs. People begin psychotherapy for a wide range of reasons. Some typical examples of why people enter therapy are to reduce anxiety and/or depression, improve stress management, increase self-acceptance, improve self-esteem, cope with loss or trauma, reach new goals or promote personal growth.
Generally, psychotherapy is a useful tool in helping people cope with their problems.
Psychotherapy is an excellent vehicle to help people work through the problems they are experiencing, so they can move on and enjoy a life that is productive and fulfilling.
Some people seek out a therapist because their feelings are painful or disrupt their lives. Others see a therapist when they are unsatisfied with the direction their lives are going, or to eliminate unhealthy habits or patterns. However, you should discuss with a therapist any fears, concerns, or doubts you may have about the usefulness of psychotherapy in your individual case. With compassionate help, things can get better.
Gregory Koch, Psy.D.
CompassionateHelp.com
Welcome to the CompassionateHelp.com blog
Here we will discuss issues relevant to finding a good counselor or therapist, how to start counseling, what counseling is like, and how therapy can help. Welcome!
Gregory Koch, Psy.D.
CompassionateHelp.com
