Psychotrauma treatment. Psychological trauma: concept, types, causes, symptoms. Psychological trauma in a child: how to help him cope with it? The main types of psychological trauma

Each of us wants to be happy and is ready to do a lot for this. We evaluate the world around us and try to make it meet our needs as much as possible. But for the majority, this does not work out, and often the cause of dissatisfaction with their lives is not at all an aggressive external environment, but internal problems, for example, psychological trauma.

What is psychological trauma? We are all familiar with physical injuries, but psychological ones bring no less problems, but it is much more difficult to recognize and cure them. Let's try to figure it out, it's like diagnosing psychological trauma, what it threatens and how to cure it.

What is psychological trauma and when does it occur? (Video)

Psychological trauma is a reaction to life circumstances, which leads to long-term emotional experiences of a negative nature. If a person experiences an external event too much, it can lead to the development of psychological trauma in him. At the same time, an event can be both really dangerous and scary, for example, a disaster or the loss of a dear person, or very harmless, like a conflict at work or disappointment in a friend.

The reaction to circumstances does not depend on their severity, but on the person's perception of the event. The same event for one person will be a minor nuisance, for another - a disaster. Some people find it difficult to cope with problems, so the smallest troubles can become serious for them.

Unresolved trauma can lead to increased anxiety, depression, and panic attacks.

If a situation seems so difficult to a person that he does not know how to cope with it and sees it as a threat to his entire lifestyle or life itself, or the situation destroys his idea of \u200b\u200bhis life, it can provoke the development of psychological trauma. When a person feels that he is losing ground under his feet, sees that his life is being destroyed, he ceases to perceive the world around him as something reliable or real and loses confidence in himself and in his future. Live normal life It's not easy for such a person.

The consequences of trauma for a person

What happens to a person who has experienced psychological trauma? This largely depends on the injury, but there are also common features in all victims. In the post-traumatic period, most of the internal forces of a person are directed to forget what happened. Gradually, if the traumatic factor is removed, everything connected with it is forgotten, all feelings and sensations are forced out. But in the psyche, the traumatic experience persists.

What does this mean? This means that as soon as something similar to a traumatic event occurs in external events or another event occurs that can cause, all negative memories will flood with renewed vigor. This can lead to a strong emotional outburst, feelings will surge with renewed vigor and it is very difficult to predict a person’s reaction and the consequences of this reaction.

First aid for psychological trauma is about creating a sense of security, which is why victims of disasters often have a blanket thrown over their heads.

If the traumatic experience is forced out and enclosed in a kind of capsule, then it begins to slowly destroy the human psyche, and then his body. The repressed psychological trauma creates a semblance internal conflict between an existing person and a traumatized person. On a subconscious level, a person tries to forget part of his "I". It takes a lot of energy and interferes with normal life, inhibits personal development and leads to the emergence of psychosomatic diseases.

Diagnostics

You can often meet dismissive attitude to psychological trauma and its consequences. But no one can argue with the fact that psychological trauma greatly affects a person’s future life and can shape his opinion and influence his actions.

It is not easy for a non-specialist to diagnose the presence of psychological trauma, but there are some symptoms that make it possible to suspect it. These symptoms include:

feeling weak, depressed, angry or resentful, distracted and unable to concentrate;
constant discomfort, including physical;
unwillingness to do something and apathy;
an irresistible feeling of the futility of any action and hopelessness.

In addition, you can suspect psychological trauma if you know about the presence of that very unfavorable factor that can provoke it. Also, the presence of trauma is indicated by the constant avoidance of situations that directly or indirectly remind of the unpleasant situation that provoked it.

It is very important to help the victim of psychological trauma to get rid of guilt.

There are also indirect symptoms that usually occur against the background of psychological trauma and will help in their diagnosis. These include feelings of anxiety or guilt, drowsiness, alienation or unmotivated outbursts of aggression, recurrent panic attacks, mood swings or depression, and general unexplained physical malaise.

If your close person has experienced severe psychological trauma, and you want to help him cope with this problem - be prepared for long and hard work. And remember - it is your support that can become the decisive factor that will help healing.

The first thing that is needed in the treatment of psychological trauma is patience. Be prepared for the fact that it will take a lot of time, and the pace of recovery is purely individual. You can’t judge the reaction of the injured person by your own or by someone else’s, everything is very individual here.

The second is practical support. It is possible that it will not be easy for a person to solve the most ordinary everyday problems, for example, buying groceries or paying bills, so you will have to help him with this. Try to help him gradually return to ordinary life but no pressure.

Third, don't demand that the person tell you about their experiences. It is possible that it is too difficult for him to talk about it. He will definitely talk when he comes to this, and at this moment you need to be ready to listen. It is very important that a person knows that he will always be listened to and always understood.

Psychological trauma can be prevented by seeking help immediately after the traumatic event, before the first sleep.

Help your loved one recover physically, get more rest and socialize. Encourage his desire for physical activity and any action.

Don't take the symptoms of trauma personally. The person may become irritable or aggressive, withdrawn or emotionally distant. This in most cases does not mean that something is wrong with you or that you are doing something wrong. Most likely, this is just a consequence of the injury.

How to deal with trauma on your own

In some cases, a person can help himself to cope with the trauma. But for this you need to try hard and follow our advice.

After an injury, you can't isolate yourself. Isolating yourself from other people and constantly overthinking the problem will only make things worse. Learn to ask for support. It is very important not to close in yourself, but to open up to a loved one. This could be a relative, friend, loved one, or a priest you trust.

Try to participate in social activities, live an active and "normal" life. Just try to do ordinary things away from the traumatic experience. If you have lost friends due to trauma, try to reconnect, this will help you get back to life faster. Sometimes it helps to communicate with people who have experienced similar traumas.

It is very important not to lose touch with reality after an injury. It often seems to people that the whole world has ceased to exist after their life has changed. In order not to lose "connections with the earth", it is important to lead a normal life, adhere to a stable daily routine, work, try to learn something new. Find an activity that will bring you pleasure, you can attend some courses or circles, choose a new hobby. Allow yourself to feel your pain and at the same time not lose touch with reality, in order to understand that there is pain, but there is life after it.

Treating psychological trauma is a lengthy process that can take years.

After a psychological trauma, it is very important to pay enough attention to physical health. You can start practicing. This will help prevent the exacerbation of chronic diseases and the development of psychosomatic diseases against the background of stress. In addition, regular physical activity will allow you to feel your body and not lose touch with reality.

In recent decades, the concept of "psychological trauma" has become very fashionable. Children's psychotrauma in adults today explains everything - from failures in personal life to bad habits. What is psychotrauma and how dangerous is it?

Psychological trauma or psycho-emotional trauma is the harm that is caused to the psychological health of a person as a result of the influence of stressful or acutely emotional adverse factors on the psyche. That is, this is an experience that has had a long and adverse effect on the human psyche.

Psychological trauma is a relatively new concept in psychology. For the first time, psychologists began to talk about it at the end of the 19th century, but only in the 20th century was psychotrauma officially “recognised” by the scientific community. AT scientific work Reshetnikova M.M. “Psychic trauma” analyzes in detail the history of the concept, substantiates its relevance and main methods of treatment.

Psychological trauma can occur due to physical impact, a situation in which the life and health of a person is in danger, or due to a strong, negative emotional experience. People who served in the army and / or visited the combat zone often develop a combat mental trauma, which is not always possible to cope with on their own.

Psychotrauma, affecting the psyche healthy person, upsets her, disrupting the normal interaction of a person with the environment. As a result, a person experiences constant discomfort, which he himself may not be aware of, but it negatively affects his worldview, socialization, adaptability, relationships, and so on.

Psychological trauma is especially dangerous for children and adolescents. At this age, a negative experience can leave a deep mark on the psyche, which in the future will cause the development of various disorders. Request: how to get rid of childhood psychological trauma is one of the most popular today, but people do not always understand exactly what they need.

So it is necessary to distinguish between the concepts of "mental" and "psychological" trauma. Psychic - this is a more severe damage that the human psyche received. Its results are usually immediately noticeable - a person cannot behave in the usual way, his psyche needs treatment and restoration. An example of such a state can be stupor, hysteria or neurosis, and the subsequent one is a panic fear of heights, fear even for a while of losing sight of a loved one, stuttering, and so on.

Psychological trauma is less traumatic and its consequences are less noticeable. Often such a person cannot say when and what exactly happened, what events caused the development of discomfort. So, if the child's parents filed for divorce, psychological trauma can only manifest itself after several decades, when a person is unable to build a strong relationship with anyone.

Causes of psychotrauma

It is impossible to say exactly what exactly can cause psychological trauma in each case. The strength of the influence of certain factors on the psyche of a particular person depends on many factors: the type of psyche, its resistance to traumatic events, personal attitude to what is happening, and so on.

Psychological trauma in childhood can be experienced both much more acutely and much easier. So, for one child, a severe thunderstorm, which he had to endure alone, in his room, can become the cause of psychological trauma, while the other will not even pay attention to it. Psychologically significant for different people can be big dog, which passed nearby or a spider that fell on its head while walking in the park.

Therefore, it is impossible to predict in advance what exactly can cause injury in a child or an adult. There are reasons that cause the development of psychological trauma in most cases and risk factors that increase the risk of developing such injuries in a person.

Childhood psychological trauma can occur due to:

Death or serious illness of loved ones
own serious illness
Physical or mental abuse
Divorce, loss of a parent
Violation of interaction in the family
physical punishment
Immoral behavior of adults
Overprotection or lack of attention from adults
Deception and betrayal
Conflict at school or among peers
Bullying at school or family (taunting, bullying, deliberate bullying)
A traumatic event (car accident, fire, and so on) - in childhood, trauma can occur even when watching a TV show or hearing a story about something similar.

In adults, a similar condition can be caused by the same or similar factors:

Death or loss of a loved one
Divorce or loss of a loved one
Conflict at home or at work
Physical or psychological abuse
Serious illness, injury
Deception, betrayal, destructive relationships.

Psychological trauma in childhood can become one of the risk factors for its development in the future. It also increases the risk of emotional trauma. neurological diseases, emotional instability, alcohol consumption, endocrine diseases, chronic diseases of internal organs, constant stress and overwork.

In childhood and adulthood, this condition can develop in almost anyone, so everyone needs to know how to overcome psychological trauma. This will help maintain your mental health and the health of your loved ones.

Types and symptoms

It is quite difficult to determine that a person has a psychotrauma, he leads a normal life, is quite successful and satisfied with himself, and does not even want to change anything in his life. But at the same time, if you do not work with psychological trauma, then its consequences can greatly worsen the quality of a person’s life, cause failures in his personal life, provoke the development of neurosis or depression.

Psychological trauma is manifested by 2 types of symptoms: emotional and physiological.

Emotional symptoms can manifest themselves in different ways. Someone experiences lifelong fear in certain circumstances, others cannot establish relationships with their family or be afraid of making a career without understanding why this is happening.

The consequences of psychological trauma may appear immediately after it or after several months or even years.

In "acute" psychological trauma, the main emotional manifestations will be:

Apathy
Feeling of worthlessness
Reluctance to communicate with anyone
Anxiety
Fear of something
Tearfulness, irritability
Inability to focus on something.

These symptoms are usually mistaken for signs of fatigue or depression and usually wait for them to go away on their own. But if a person has recently experienced a strong emotional shock, and his condition does not normalize, it is better to contact a specialist who will accurately diagnose.

Physiological symptoms:

Weakness, decreased performance
Sleep disturbance
Dizziness, headaches
Violation of the heart
horse racing blood pressure
Aggravation chronic diseases
Decreased immunity.

Types of psychological trauma

There are many classifications of psychological trauma. The most popular are:

By type of traumatic agent - loss of a loved one, family conflict, and so on.
By duration - acute, protracted, chronic.

How to get rid of psychological trauma

Answer the question: “how to cope with psychological trauma?” quite difficult. Psychologists today offer a wide variety of methods - from finding out the cause and "returning" to the past in order to "work through" it, to methods correct behavior in those situations in which a person experiences some kind of difficulty. There are no universal methods that help everyone and from everything. Each case requires its own approach and its own methods of therapy. The type of treatment, its duration depends on the type of trauma, for example, combat mental trauma requires more difficult treatment, perhaps taking antidepressants or long-term observation by a psychotherapist.

Recognize the problem - realize that there is some kind of trauma in your past and its consequences hinder you today.
Understand exactly what the trauma is.
Allow yourself any feelings - there are no "right" and "wrong" feelings. For most people, it's hard to afford to allow negative feelings, they try to "reject" them, to convince themselves that they do not feel this way. Knowing that you can feel any feelings can often help you deal with trauma.
Give yourself the opportunity to experience any feelings - often psychological trauma occurs in the place of "unlived" feelings and emotions. By allowing yourself to cry, scream or swear, you can get rid of emotional stress and help your mind.

Psychological trauma is the harm caused to the psyche, which occurs when a person reacts to adverse factors environment and extreme situations. The cause of psychological trauma can be stress or a strong emotional shock. Psychotrauma often occurs in childhood. In this article, you will learn how to determine that a psychological trauma has occurred, as well as how to help a person cope with it.

Each of us, sooner or later, faces life's difficulties, humiliation of human dignity, tragedies and losses. Under unfavorable circumstances, the dramatic events of our lives can significantly affect mental health. The concept of psychological trauma first appeared in the 80s of the last century.

Psychotrauma happens when a bright external phenomenon or event in life entails stable and long-term negative experiences of a person.

To date, this phenomenon has been well studied. The cause of psychological trauma should always be sought in the external environment. Sometimes other people are to blame for the trauma, sometimes it happens simply by unfortunate coincidence, and sometimes the traumatic event occurs as a result of the actions of the person himself.

Family conflicts, dismissal from work, divorce from a spouse, death of a relative or sudden surgery All this can lead to psychological trauma. The perception of a traumatic factor is very subjective. For some, a certain negative event in life, such as a divorce or job change, will seem insignificant, but for someone it will cause psychological trauma.

It is also worth noting that there are people who are most prone to experiencing psychological trauma, and there are people who are much less prone to it. The risk group, of course, includes children and adolescents: child's psychological trauma- this is not uncommon. Also, according to statistics, women suffer from psychological trauma much more often than men. In general, people with immature thinking, open and emotional are most susceptible to psychological trauma. Particularly acute first psychological trauma.

Consequences of psychological trauma

The result of psychotrauma can be both borderline and clinical states of the psyche. The first group includes:

general malaise
loss of working capacity
persistent feeling of discomfort

The second group includes various mental disorders that a doctor can diagnose.

Coping with the clinical consequences of psychological trauma is impossible without the help of specialists and medication.

Borderline conditions are amenable to correction - in this case, a person can cope with the trauma together with a psychologist, with the support of close friends and relatives, or even on their own. However, to solve the problem, you need to behave correctly so that the situation does not worsen.

Types of psychological trauma

What are the types and features of various psychological traumas? Specialists classify psychological traumas according to the degree of their strength and the duration of their impact. There are four main categories:

Shock psychological trauma. This type of psychological trauma involves an immediate and unexpected impact - for example, a car accident or an animal attack can cause such an injury.
Acute psychological trauma. The cause of this type of injury is an impact that lasts no more than a few days. It could be illness or natural disasters.
Medium-term psychological trauma. This category includes regular traumatic effects, in which a person understands that the traumatic situation will end one day. It could be a childhood with alcoholic parents, bullying at school, domestic violence in the family, or a prison sentence.
Chronic psychological trauma - characterized by continuous exposure to a traumatic factor. This factor can be considered serious illness, disability, life in the zone of military conflict. It is important that with chronic psychological trauma a person partially adapts to adverse conditions environment.

There is another classification that allows you to divide psychotraumas according to the nature of the reasons that lead to them. In this classification, there are:

existential trauma. In such cases, a person experiences a threat to his own life or the lives of loved ones. Such psychological traumas are often considered the most severe, because the fear of death is the most intense fear biologically embedded in us.
The trauma of loss. These are psychotraumas that are caused by the fear of loneliness, the feeling of being useless and the desire to avoid any social contact.
Relationship trauma. This kind psychological trauma occurs after how a close person who has been trusted does not live up to the expectations of the individual. Betrayal and violence are the most common factors that provoke such a trauma. The consequences of such a trauma are related to the fact that it is difficult for a person to start trusting the people around him again.
Mistake injury. They occur when a person is confronted with an unexpected result of their own actions. Such traumas entail shame and guilt.

Symptoms of psychological trauma

First and main feature psychological trauma - the presence of a traumatic factor. If a person plunges into depression or simply experiences a negative emotional state, but there is no traumatic factor in the external environment, these problems cannot be called psychological trauma. However, not always negative external influences lead to psychotrauma.

Psychological trauma can be identified by a number of symptoms. Some believe that the consequences of psychological trauma are reflected only in our emotional state, but often a psychological trauma experienced by a person negatively affects his health. Thus, the symptoms of psychological trauma can be divided into emotional and physical.

Emotional symptoms of psychological trauma

These symptoms of psychological trauma are the most pronounced. However, in the absence of an external traumatic factor, they may indicate other psychological problems. Many of the symptoms are characteristic of simple stress, and for psychological trauma. If you know that a traumatic event has occurred, and you observe several of the following symptoms in a person, most likely he has experienced a psychological trauma.

Emotional symptoms include:

Psychological trauma is characterized sharp drops a person's moods. Most time there is apathy, detachment and indifference to life. At the same time, uncontrolled aggression is periodically manifested.
People suffering from psychological trauma cannot find a place in life. They have problems with self-identification, they often feel unclaimed in the profession or unnecessary and abandoned in relationships with close friends and relatives.
Patients plunge into loneliness and try to avoid communication with people.
Often, people who have experienced psychological trauma develop phobias, such people become unreasonably anxious and irritable.

haunting memories - another one important symptom. Psychological trauma is characterized by the fact that a person constantly scrolls a negative experience in his head. Often this prevents such people from living in the present day, and they are completely immersed in the past.
The desire to abstract from reality is also characteristic of people who have experienced psychological trauma. The most common way to escape from reality is the use of alcohol or drugs. Obsessive craving for extreme sports or illegal activities can also be included in this category.

Physical symptoms of psychological trauma

Unfortunately, strong emotional upheavals lead not only to psychological problems, but also to significant ailments and health problems. After suffering a psychological trauma, it is worth talking not only about emotional, but also about physical symptoms.

Physical symptoms are not specific to trauma—they can occur in a variety of ways. various reasons. So if you're trying to determine if a person has been traumatized, physical symptoms should be considered as secondary. However, if you know that a traumatic event has occurred, observe several emotional symptoms and a few physical, this is a cause for concern.

Here are some of the most common physical symptoms:

Insomnia is one of the most common consequences of psychological trauma. Often some other physical ailments, which are associated with psychotrauma, are precisely the result of insomnia. For example, this reduced immunity and poor concentration.
People suffering from psychological trauma are characterized by constant muscle tension. This, in turn, also negatively affects overall health.
Often there are problems with remembering information, concentrating and solving mental problems.
For people who have experienced psychological trauma, a general decrease in immunity is characteristic. This means that frequent colds and other health problems may occur. Moreover, those diseases that were previously easily tolerated can be much more severe.
Exacerbation of chronic diseases in those who suffer from them is possible. It is also associated with a decrease in immunity.
Diseases of cardio-vascular system often arise on a nervous basis. They are also characteristic of psychotrauma.
Migraines and headaches are another symptom often complained about by trauma survivors.

How to deal with psychological trauma?

How severe the consequences of psychological trauma will be depends on the strength of the traumatic factor, the duration of the traumatic impact, the perception of the event by a particular individual, as well as on the support of loved ones and the provision of timely assistance.

Many people wonder if a loved one has had psychological trauma how to help to him? The best option at the first signs of psychological trauma is to seek help from specialists. If this is not possible or if first aid is required before visiting a psychologist, following tips will help you. These simple tips will allow you to help a loved one suffering from psychological trauma or work with your own emotions, if psychological trauma treatment you need:

First of all, it is worth simply distracting from negative memories and focusing on the future and the present. A person who has experienced psychological trauma wants to plunge into the past and abstract from real life However, it is especially important to fill life with positive events and new positive emotions.

However, one should not expect that a person will immediately be able to forget negative events. Experience - normal process which must flow naturally. It is necessary to realize the loss and experience suffering so that a negative episode does not disturb a person for the rest of his life. However, one should not allow a person to spend all his time and energy on his own grief.
Rehabilitation after psychological trauma may stretch for a long time. You can not leave a person who has experienced a psychotrauma alone. It is very important for him to feel the support of loved ones and his own need. Often, after a psychological trauma, it is difficult to start trusting people - the best way to learn this again is in the process of communicating with family and friends.

How can you help your child deal with trauma?

Unfortunately, children and adolescents are the most susceptible to psychotrauma. Childhood trauma- frequent and dangerous phenomenon, because if timely and competent help will not be provided, the consequences of such an injury will affect the entire future life of a person. Moreover, some psychologists believe that psychological trauma can be inherited. Their logic is simple: a person experiencing a psychotrauma cannot fully raise their own children.

Therefore, the treatment of psychological trauma is very important. This is especially true for children - after all, they usually cannot solve the problem on their own. Helping a child after a psychological trauma has its own difficulties:

It can be difficult for adults to look at the situation from the child's point of view and understand his feelings. To better understand your child, you can read additional literature or watch films about psychological trauma. A child may misinterpret some life events, and minor negative situations that an adult would not pay attention to can cause psychological trauma.
In addition, traumatized adults often realize that they need help. Children, on the other hand, often withdraw into themselves and do not allow themselves to be helped and supported.
Particularly difficult to run psychological trauma in adolescents. Teenagers often distrust parents and most adults, so helping them is the hardest thing to do. To do this, it is very important to find an approach to a teenager and establish a trusting relationship with him. Here work with psychological trauma is to be thorough.

A common mistake parents make is that they begin to blame the child for his problems and give him advice from the position of an adult. Because of this, a child who has experienced psychological trauma may become even more withdrawn into himself. In order to provide support to a child with psychotrauma, it is important, first of all, to listen to him, as well as to surround him with care and love. However, if for a long time it is not possible to cope with the consequences of the injury on your own, you should contact a child psychologist.

Psychological trauma is dangerous not only for emotional, but also for physical health. Moreover, if it is not dealt with, Negative consequences will affect the rest of a person's life. Especially it concerns childhood psychological trauma because children perceive everything most painfully. Therefore, if you or your loved one has been traumatized, it is very important to fill your life with positive events and communicate with loved ones in order to quickly get rid of negative memories.

Video: "Description of psychological trauma"

Psychological trauma

What is psychological trauma? Review scientific articles(translated from Wikipedia).

Psychological trauma is a specific injury nervous system that occurs as a result of severe stress. Often the result of an excessive amount of stress that exceeds the person's ability to integrate it. A traumatic event can also be the result of a prolonged stressful situation, stretched for weeks, years or even decades, during which a person tries to carry out normal life activities. Moreover, this is a subjective experience, since for the same events different people may react differently. Moreover, not all people, having experienced a traumatic event, become traumatized, some have protective devices that help them cope with strong emotion. It may be a stress habit acquired at an early age, or simply a high resistance accompanied by a willingness to seek help.

Definition of psychological trauma

The DSM-IV-TR defines trauma as follows: “The experience of personal experience of death, threat of death, severe injury, or disturbing physical contact. The result of reflection on an event related to the above. Reaction to the news of an unexpected (violent) death. An impression of humiliation, fear, or loss experienced by a loved one.

Due to the fact that traumatic memories are preverbal in nature, they cannot be accurately reproduced in memory, but can be provoked (using stimuli in normal conditions). The response will be intense fear or horror, helplessness. In children - disorganized or aggressive behavior.

Causes of psychological trauma

Psychological trauma can be caused by various events, but all of them are united by the presence of the same signs. Usually this is a violation, leading to a state of extreme bewilderment and uncertainty. A person gets into such a state when he is faced with a violation of a person’s usual ideas about the world or a violation of his rights. When institutions designed to provide life support are violated, humiliated, betrayed or cause loss or division. Traumatic experiences often include threatening physical injury, as well as harassment, shame (shame situation), disappointment (rejection), abusive relationships, rejection, co-dependency, physical abuse, sexual abuse, beatings, beatings from a partner, employment discrimination , police brutality, judicial corruption and misconduct, bullying, paternalism, domestic violence (especially in childhood), life-threatening drug-induced conditions. This also includes force majeure events (flood, earthquake, fire, war, etc.), terrorist attacks, kidnappings. Poverty or relatively mild forms of violence (such as verbal abuse) can also cause psychological trauma, although not associated with the threat of physical abuse.

Some theories suggest that childhood trauma may increase the risk of psychiatric disorders, that neuroticism in adulthood associated with childhood trauma. The fact is that parts of the brain in a growing child develop in a hierarchical order from complex to simple. Neurons designed to receive and store new information, change in response to external signals received from the five main sensory channels. At this time, babies and children create ideas about the environment. Attachment that appears shortly after birth, if it is of a violent or sacrificial nature, already influences these ideas. The more often the corresponding structure of neurons is activated, the more persistent it becomes in relation to the pattern.

Childhood is the most sensitive period and one of the most milestones psychological development of a person. It is no coincidence that the most a large number of complications with the most lasting effect gives child abuse. Hickey's trauma management model suggests that "for serial killers, childhood trauma may be the trigger that leads to the person's inability to cope with some stresses." The dynamic aspect of psychotrauma is especially important for healthcare professionals: "If a doctor is unable to comprehend the patient's problem through the prism of his psychotrauma, then he is not able to see the circle of recurring affects, focusing on which the patient arranges his life" .

Psychosomatics. How are fears and phobias formed?

Psychosomatics & hypnoanalysis: how fears and phobias are formed as a result of psychotrauma

Symptoms of psychotrauma

Reactions and symptoms indicating a psychotraumatic experience can be very diverse and differ in number, as well as in severity, depending on the nature of the person. Some try to avoid traumatic memories but experience pain. Others try to drown their psychotraumatic experience in wine or narcotic intoxication. Meanwhile, re-experiencing symptoms is a sign that the body and mind are trying to cope with psychological trauma.

For many survivors severe stress, triggers (exciting memories) and external cues act as reminders of the trauma. A person may not guess what is happening to him, and commits inadequate actions. Panic attacks are a typical example of this kind of behavior. A person may also have uncontrollable fits of anger (including in inappropriate or unexpected situations), when he feels that he is under threat. And this is true, but the threat is experienced from past events.

A person can be persecuted bad memories, including in the form of unclear pictures or thoughts. He may be haunted by nightmares. He may suffer from insomnia, as inner fear and insecurity make him alert.

Psychotrauma can entail morphological changes that are inherited. Genetics is one of the causes of psychological trauma or, conversely, their absence.

After a severe psychotrauma, a person's memory is often repressed, and he does not remember what really happened, but the experienced emotions can come to life, and at the same time he will not understand why this is happening to him. Constantly experiencing the emotions experienced during the trauma as if they occur in this moment, a person loses can not gain a vision of the experienced experience. As a result, there is a persistent phenomenon of acute overexcitation (pattern), which can be accompanied by physical and mental exhaustion. Similar states lead to different types personality disorders: anxiety, conversion, psychotic, borderline, etc. . Emotional exhaustion entails absent-mindedness, due to which a person loses the ability to think clearly and falls into a state of detachment (dissociation) from emotions. Not only from painful ones. There is a numbness of all emotions, and a person becomes emotionally flat - distant or cold, he is always preoccupied with something. Dissociation is usually diagnosed as depersonalization disorder, dissociative amnesia, dissociative arc, dissociative identity disorder, etc.

Some people who have experienced psychological trauma begin to feel a sense of inferiority if the symptoms of the trauma do not disappear, and they do not believe that their situation will improve. This can lead to despair with elements of paranoia, to a loss of self-esteem, as well as suicide based on depression and a feeling of emptiness. With the destruction of self-esteem, a person may doubt his own identity.

Parents of a traumatized child should not try to help them control their post-traumatic fear and restrain their emotions on their own. Typically, this leads to adverse effects for a child, so it is better to seek help from a psychiatrist.

Assessment of the consequences of psychotrauma

Since the concept of psychological trauma has acquired an expanded definition, traumatology as a field of medicine has received an interdisciplinary approach. This is partly due to the diverse professional representation in traumatology, where there are psychologists, medical professionals, and lawyers. As a result, the data obtained in traumatology began to be adapted for various fields of activity. However, they practical use required appropriate methodologies, which are simply not developed in many disciplines. And here it is important that the surrounding people understand the state of the person. These do not have to be representatives of medical, psychiatric or law enforcement agencies. To ensure safety, it is more important that a person is supported by his relatives and environment.

The experience and consequences of psychological trauma can be assessed in several ways In the context of a clinical interview, the risk of imminent danger to oneself or others is important to consider, but one must not fall into common misconceptions about a crisis or "psychosis". It must be understood that a person experiencing endless pain cannot console himself. If at this moment he is treated with respect and humanly, then he will not pose a threat. It is best to let him know that no matter what the circumstances, he will be taken seriously and not as sick or crazy. It is extremely important to understand the reality of what is happening in the head of this person. If this point is not missed, then the specialist will be able to explore both the traumatic event and its consequences (eg, post-traumatic dissociation, drug abuse, somatic symptoms, etc.). Important to explore possible problems with relatives. Perhaps, out of fear, they refused to help the patient and he “turned on” self-defense. Such research should end in an empathic, sensitive and supportive manner.

During this work, the patient may flare up feelings, memories, or thoughts related to the event (eg, suffering, anxiety, anger). Since he is not yet able to cope with this pain, it is worth preparing in advance how to discuss this event. It should not injure the patient again. It is also important to write down his answers. This can assist the clinician in determining the severity of a possible post-traumatic stress disorder as well as the ease of the reaction. In addition, it is important to catch the presence of avoidance reactions, which can manifest themselves as a lack of expected involvement or simply the ability to respond emotionally. The main mechanisms of avoidance are drug use, avoidance of anything that resembles a traumatic event, psychological adjustment (dissociation). It is also necessary to monitor mood swings, bursts of depression, attempts at self-harm, which may indicate difficulties in controlling affect. Information obtained by observing the patient's ability to regulate his condition will determine his readiness to participate in various therapeutic actions.

The assessment of psychological trauma can be both structured and unstructured. Structured assessment includes Physician-Controlled PTSD Scale (CAPS, Blake et al., 1995), Acute Stress Disorder Interview (ASDI, Bryant, Harvey, Dang, & Sackville, 1998), Structured Overuse Disorder Interview. stress (SIDES; Pelcovitz et al., 1997), the DSM-IV Structured Clinical Interview for Dissociative Disorders - modified to (SCID-D, Steinberg, 1994) and the Brief Interview for Post Traumatic Disorders (BIPD, Briere, 1998).

Psychological testing of the patient includes the use general tests(eg, MMPI-2, MCMI-III, SCL-90-R) to assess non-trauma related symptoms and difficulties experienced by the individual. In addition, psychological testing may use specific trauma tests in order to assess post-traumatic consequences. These tests are based on the Post Traumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS, Foa, 1995), the Davidson Trauma Scale (DTS: Davidson et al., 1997), the Detailed Post Traumatic Stress Assessment (DAPS, Briere, 2001), the Trauma Symptom List (TSI: Briere, 1995), Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC, Briere, 1996), Trauma Life Event Inventory (TLEQ: Kubany et al., 2000), and Guilt-Related Injury Inventory (TRGI: Kubany et al., 1996) .

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Treatment of psychological trauma

Treatment of mental trauma is possible through progressive counting (PC), somatic experience, biological feedback, intrafamily therapy, sensorimotor psychotherapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy is popular and is used to treat symptoms associated with psychological trauma, including stress disorder. The Institute of Medicine guidelines identify cognitive-behavioral methods as the most effective method treatment for PTSD. . The US Department of Veterans Affairs has nationally adopted two cognitive- behavioral therapy: method prolonged exposure and the method of cognitive process therapy. There are also methods of dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) and exposure therapy. Studies have shown that the former is used to treat borderline disorder personality, and the second is effective in the treatment of psychological trauma. However, if psychological trauma caused dissociative disorders or complex PTSD, then the cognitive approach gives way to the method of trauma modeling, also known as phase-oriented treatment of structural dissociation. Research funded by pharmaceutical companies has shown that cognitive-behavioral therapies can be effectively supplemented with newer antidepressants.

An independent section in the treatment of the consequences of psychotrauma is trauma therapy. It is the most adaptive way of psychological help, as it allows you to work with memories associated with a psychotrauma, on the basis of which the patient gets the opportunity to deal with his internal depressive material (thoughts, feelings and memories) and even get an impetus for personal development, including the development of such skills as resilience, control of one's own ego, complementarity (benevolent sympathy, empathy), etc. . Trauma therapy is divided into mental education and several types of techniques: cognitive processing, emotional processing, experiential processing, trauma processing, and emotional regulation.

mental education- this is the education of others regarding the psychological vulnerability of a person and ways to overcome it.
Emotional regulation- these are actions against discrimination (identification and opposition), as well as competent identification of the thoughts and emotions of the patient (design, typology, etc.).
cognitive processing- this is a revision of negative ideas and beliefs about oneself, about others and the environment by changing the point of view on the subject.
Treatment of injury- these are directed efforts to reduce the sensitivity (desensitization) of psychotrauma; by recognizing it: by destroying the conditionings by which it manifests itself; on partial (selective) destruction emotional reactions; to deconstruct the discrepancy between emotion and reality; to relieve stress from traumatic material (a state in which triggers do not cause severe pain On the contrary, they alleviate the condition of a person.)
emotional processing(used only in the early termination phase of the evaluation mental health) is the restoration of perceptions, beliefs and erroneous expectations.
Experimental processing is the selection of visualizations of the achieved state of liberation and the application various techniques relaxation.

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Types of psychotrauma

The level of trauma is related to a person's ability to overcome it. There are three different types reactions to stress:

Proactive (preventive) is an attempt to adapt or integrate the resulting stress before it affects the lifestyle.
Reactive is an attempt to minimize damage after a trauma.
Passive - ignoring stress.

People capable of proactive behavior are more likely to be able to handle unexpected situations. Those who react to the stress of the fact experience a noticeable effect from it. Passive attitude towards a stressful event entails suffering from long-term traumatic consequences.

Traumas are also divided into situational (caused by recent situations) and long-term (caused by traumas that remain in the unconscious). Situational injuries can be triggered by a medical emergency or catastrophic events (natural or man-made). Long-term psychological trauma is a continuation of childhood or even infantile stress caused, for example, by abuse.

The French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot argued in the 1890s that psychological trauma is the source of all cases. mental illness known as hysteria. Charcot's "traumatic hysteria" often manifested itself as paralysis, which was accompanied by physical trauma. With regard to psychological trauma, Sigmund Freud, a student of Charcot and the father of psychoanalysis, gave it the following definition: “an event in the life of the subject, determined by the inability of the subject to adequately respond to it due to shock and changes in the structure of the psyche” (as presented by Jean Laplan).

The French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan argued that all reality contains the traumatic quality of symbolization. From the point of view of the object of concern, reality "is what you face and all words disappear and all categories fail".

Stress, that is, the physiological response to a stimulus, is indeed the basis of all psychological trauma. Long-term stress increases the risk of poor mental health and mental disorders. This may be due to long-term dysfunction of glucocorticoid secretion, which entails a weakening of the immune system and an increase in blood pressure. Such stress can cause morphological changes in the hippocampus. Studies have shown that if taken early in life, it can disrupt the normal development of the hippocampus and affect its function in adulthood. The correlation between the size of the hippocampus and its susceptibility to stress disorders has been clinically proven.

The psychological trauma received during the fighting is called shell shock. A contusion is characterized by post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) whose symptoms persist (for diagnosis) for at least a month and include 4 categories.

If you have been through a traumatic experience, you may be overwhelmed by negative emotions, unpleasant memories, or a sense of constant danger. Or you feel abandoned, do not feel support and trust in people. After a trauma, it takes time to process the pain and regain a sense of security. And with the help of psychological help, self-support system, support of others, you can speed up the recovery process. No matter when the traumatic event happened, you can recover and move on with your life.

What is emotional and psychological trauma?

Emotional and psychological trauma is the result of stress, the strength of which turned out to be excessive for the psyche. As a result, a person loses a sense of security, experiences impotence and helplessness.

Traumatic experiences are not always accompanied physical impact. This is any situation in which you experience overstress and helplessness. And this is not some specific concept, but your personal emotional reaction in response to an event. The more horror and helplessness you experience, the more likely injury.

Causes of emotional and psychological trauma

An event is most likely to cause injury if:

It happened unexpectedly.
You weren't ready for it.
You felt powerless to prevent it.
The event happened very quickly.
Someone deliberately mistreated you.
It happened in childhood.

Emotional and psychological trauma can be caused by a one-time event, such as an accident, a natural illness, or a violent episode. Or maybe long-term stressful effects: living in domestic violence, in the neighborhood with criminal elements, suffering from cancer.

The most common examples of traumatic events are:

Sports and household injuries.
Surgery (especially in the first 3 years of life).
Sudden death of a loved one.
Car accident.
Breaking meaningful relationships.
A humiliating and deeply disappointing experience.
Loss of functionality and chronic severe illness.
Risk factors that increase your vulnerability to traumatic events.

Not all potentially traumatic events lead to emotional and psychological trauma. Some people recover quickly from a severe traumatic experience, while others are wounded by something that at first glance is much less shocking.

People who are already under the influence of stress factors, as well as those who have suffered something similar in childhood, have increased vulnerability. For them, what happened becomes a reminder that provokes re-traumatization.

Childhood trauma increases the risk of future trauma.

Experiencing trauma in childhood has a lasting effect: such children see the world as frightening and dangerous place. And if the trauma is not cured, then they endure feelings of fear and helplessness in adulthood becoming more vulnerable to injury in the future.

Childhood trauma occurs when any event violates the child's sense of security:

Unstable and dangerous environment;
Separation from parents;
Serious illness;
Traumatic medical procedures;
Sexual, physical and verbal abuse;
domestic violence;
rejection;
bullying;
Symptoms of emotional and psychological trauma.

In response to a traumatic event and re-trauma, people react in a variety of ways that manifest a wide range physical and emotional reactions. There is no "right" or "wrong" way to respond to a traumatic event: feel, think, and act. Therefore, do not blame yourself and others for certain actions. Your behavior is normal reaction to abnormal event.

Emotional symptoms of trauma:

Shock, rejection, loss of faith;
rage, irritation, mood swings;
Guilt, shame, self-blame;
Feelings of sadness and hopelessness;
Confusion, impaired concentration;
Anxiety and fear;
Closure;
Feeling abandoned.

Physical symptoms of injury:

Insomnia and nightmares;
fearfulness;
palpitations;
Acute and chronic pain;
Increased fatigue;
Violation of attention;
Fussiness;
Muscular tension.

These symptoms and feelings typically last from a few days to several months and disappear as you move through the trauma. But even when you feel better, painful memories and feelings can still surface - especially at such moments as the anniversary of an event or a reminder of a sight, sound and situation.

Mourning is a normal process after injury.

Whether or not the death was included in the traumatic event, the survivor is faced with the need to grieve at the loss of at least a sense of security. BUT natural reaction to lose is grief. Just like those who have lost loved ones, trauma survivors go through a process of mourning. This is a painful process in which he needs the support of other people, there is an acute need to talk about his feelings, to develop a strategy for self-support.

When should you seek help from a specialist?

Recovery from injury takes time, and everyone does it at their own pace and in their own way. But if months have passed, and your symptoms do not go away, then you need to see a specialist.

Seek professional help if:

Your affairs at home and at work are collapsing;
You suffer from anxiety and fear;
You cannot be in close relationships, you are afraid of intimacy;
Suffer from sleep disturbances, nightmares and flashbacks of traumatic memories;
More and more avoid things that resemble trauma;
Emotionally withdrawn from others and feel abandoned;
Use alcohol and drugs to make you feel better.

How to identify the right specialist?

Dealing with trauma can be frightening, painful, and provoking retraumatization. Therefore, it should be carried out by an experienced specialist.

Do not rush to the first one that comes across, spend a little time searching. It is important that the therapist has experience working with traumatic experiences. But the most important thing is the quality of your relationship with him. Choose the one with whom you feel comfortable and safe. Trust your instincts. If you do not feel safe, understood, do not feel respected, then find another specialist. It is good when there is warmth and trust in your relationship.

After meeting with a specialist, ask yourself:

Did you feel comfortable discussing your problems with a specialist?
Did you have the feeling that the therapist understood what you were talking about?
Which of your problems were taken seriously, and which ones were given the least amount of time?
Did he treat you with respect and compassion?
Do you believe you can restore trust in your relationship with this therapist?

Treatment of psychological and emotional trauma

In the process of healing psychological and emotional trauma, you must face unbearable feelings and memories that you have been avoiding. Otherwise, they will come back again and again.

During trauma therapy:

processing traumatic memories and feelings;
discharge of the "fight or flight" stress response system;
learning to regulate strong emotions;
building or restoring the ability to trust people;
Key moments recovery after emotional and psychological trauma.

Recovery takes time. No need to rush yourself to live and get rid of all the symptoms and consequences. The healing process cannot be spurred on by an effort of will. Allow yourself to experience different feelings without guilt or judgment. Here are some tips on how to help yourself and your loved ones.

Self-Help Strategy #1: Don't Isolate

From trauma, you can fall into isolation from people, but this will only make it worse. Connecting with other people will help the healing process, so make an effort to support your relationship and not spend too much time alone.

Ask for support. It is important to talk about your feelings and ask for the support you need. Reach out to someone you trust: a family member, a colleague, a psychologist.

Participate in social activities, even if you don't like it. Do "normal" things with other people that have nothing to do with the traumatic experience. Restore relationships that you broke off due to trauma.

Find a support group for trauma survivors. Contact with people who, like you, have experienced a similar condition, will help reduce your sense of isolation and understand how others are coping with their condition.

Self-Help Strategy #2: Stay Grounded

Being grounded means being in touch with reality while remaining in touch with yourself.

Continue to do your normal activities - regular walks, sleep, food, work and sports. There must be time for relaxation and communication.

Break work tasks into small pieces. Praise yourself for even the smallest accomplishments.

Finding things that make you feel better and keep your mind busy (reading, cooking, playing with friends and animals) will help keep you from drifting into memories and traumatic experiences.

Allow yourself to experience the feelings that come up. Notice your feelings that come up in connection with the trauma, accept and support their appearance. Think of them as part of the mourning process needed for healing.

Body grounding: self-help principles.If you feel disorientation, confusion, sudden strong feelings, do the following:

Sit on a chair. Feel the floor with your feet as you lean on it. Press your buttocks on the chair, feel the support at this point. Feel how your back rests on the chair. Regain your bodily sense of stability.
Look around and choose 6 objects of different colors, look at them - bring your attention from the inside out.
Pay attention to your breathing: take a few slow and deep breaths and exhalations.

Self-help strategy #3: Take care of your health

AT healthy body processes of mental recovery proceed more actively.

Watch your sleep. Traumatic experiences can disrupt your normal sleep patterns. And the consequences of sleep disturbance are to exacerbate the course of traumatic symptoms. Therefore, go to bed every day at the same time, preferably before 12 o'clock at night, so that sleep lasts 7-9 hours.

Avoid alcohol and drugs because they always worsen the course of traumatic symptoms, provoking depression, anxiety and isolation.

Go in for sports. Regular exercise raises levels of serotonin, endorphins, and other mood-enhancing substances. They also boost self-esteem and promote sleep regulation. For the desired effect, 30-60 minutes a day is enough.

Eat a balanced diet. Eat small meals often throughout the day. This will help you maintain the right level of energy and reduce mood swings. Less simple carbohydrates(sweet and flour), because they quickly change the composition of the blood, which affects mood. More vegetables, fish, cereals.

Reduce the influence of stress factors. Focus on rest and relaxation. Master relaxation systems: meditation, yoga, tai chi, breathing practices. Make time for activities that bring you pleasure - a favorite hobby or outdoor activities with friends.

Help for those experiencing emotional and psychological trauma

Sure, it's hard when your loved one suffers from a traumatic experience, but your support can be a key factor in their recovery.

Show patience and understanding. Recovery from emotional and mental trauma takes time. Be patient with the recovery process because everyone has their own speed. Do not judge the reactions that your loved one has: he may be temporarily short-tempered or, on the contrary, closed, but show understanding.

Suggest practical help so that your loved one can return to normal everyday activities: going to the store, chores around the house, or just be available for a conversation.

Do not push with offers to talk, but just be available. Some people find it difficult to talk about what happened and don't insist that they share if they don't want to. Simply indicate your willingness to talk and listen when they are ready.

Help to relax and return to socialization. Offer to play sports or relaxation practices together, look for friends with interests and hobbies together, do things that can give them pleasure.

Don't take reactions personally. Your loved one may experience rage, emptiness, abandonment, and emotional distance. Remember that this is the result of trauma and may not have anything to do with your relationship.

Helping a child with trauma

It is very important to communicate openly with a traumatized child. Despite the fact that there is always fear and a desire not to discuss painful topic. But then you leave the child isolated in his experiences. Tell him it's okay to feel bad about the traumatic event. That his reactions are normal.

How do children respond to emotional and mental trauma? A few typical reactions and ways to deal with them:

Regression. Many children try to return to early age where they were safer and felt cared for. Smaller children begin to wet the bed and ask for a bottle. Older people are afraid to be alone. It is important to be careful and respectful of such symptoms.
Take the blame for the event. Children younger than 7-8 years old think that they are to blame for what happened. And this may be completely irrational, but just be patient and repeat to them that they are not to blame.
Sleep disorders. Some children have difficulty falling asleep, while others often wake up and see scary dreams. If possible, give the child a soft toy, cover him, leave a nightlight on. Spend more time with him before bed, chatting or reading. Be patient. It takes time for sleep to return to normal.
Feeling of helplessness. Discussing and planning actions that can prevent similar experiences in the future can help here, engaging in goal-oriented activities helps regain a sense of control.