2. 5 Responses to trauma
There are several behavioral responses common towards
stressors including the proactive, reactive, and passive responses. Proactive
responses include attempts to address and correct a stressor before it has a
noticeable effect on lifestyle. Reactive responses occur after the stress and
possible trauma has occurred, and is aimed more at correcting or minimizing the
damage of a stressful event. A passive response is often characterized by an
emotional numbness or ignorance of a stressor. Those who are able to be
proactive can often overcome stressors and are more likely to be able to cope
well with unexpected situations. On the other hand, those who are more reactive
will often experience more noticeable effects from an unexpected stressor. In
the case of those who are passive, victims of a stressful event are more likely
to suffer from long term traumatic effects and often enact no intentional
coping actions. These observations may suggest that the level of trauma
associated with a victim is related to such independent coping abilities.
There is also a distinction between trauma induced by recent
situations and long-term trauma which may have been buried in the unconscious
from past situations such as childhood abuse.
Trauma is often overcome through healing; in some cases this
can be achieved by recreating or revisiting the origin of the trauma under more
psychologically safe circumstances, such as with a therapist. (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_trauma)
2. 5. 1 Normal responses to traumatic events
When it comes to recognizing psychological and emotional
trauma, it's important to distinguish between normal reactions to traumatic
events and symptoms of a more serious and persistent problem.
Following a traumatic event, most people experience a variety
of emotions, including shock, fear, anger, and relief to be alive. Often, they
can think or talk of little else other than what happened. Many others feel
jumpy, detached, or depressed. Such reactions are neither a sign of weakness
nor a positive indicator of lasting trouble. Rather, they represent a
normal response to an abnormal event.
2. 5. 2 Difference in responding to traumatic events
An event can cause a traumatic response in one person and not in
other cause of some factors such as:
- The severity of the event;
- The individual's personal history (which may not even be
recalled);
- He larger meaning the event represents for the individual
(which may not be immediately evident);
- Coping skills, values and beliefs held by the individual (some
of which may have never been identified); and
- The reactions and support from family, friends, and/or
professionals.
Anyone can become traumatized. Even professionals, who work
with trauma, or other people close to a traumatized person, can develop
symptoms of "vicarious" or "secondary" traumatization. Developing symptoms is
never a sign of weakness. Symptoms should be taken seriously and steps should
be taken to heal, just as one would take action to heal from a physical
ailment. And just as with a physical condition, the amount of time or
assistance needed to recover from emotional trauma will vary from one person to
another.
Not all potentially traumatic events lead to trauma. Some
people rebound quickly from even the most tragic and shocking experiences.
Others are devastated by experiences that, on the surface, appear to be less
upsetting. It's not the objective facts that determine whether an event is
traumatic, but your subjective emotional experience of the event. The
more endangered, helpless, and unprepared you feel, the more likely you are to
be traumatized.
People are also more likely to be traumatized as adults if they
have a history of childhood trauma or if they are already under a heavy stress
load.
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