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Introduction
It is important to recognize that people who were deployed at scenes of
disasters and in conflict areas are susceptible to physical and
health reaction. “Traumatic
stress can disable people, cause disease, precipitate mental
disorders, lead to substance abuse, and destroy relationships and
families. In organizations, traumatic stress will lead to
communication breakdowns, a decrease in morale and group
cohesiveness, workplace tension and conflict, excessive absenteeism,
employee sabotage, an increase in workers' compensation and
disability claims, employee litigation, an inability to retain
effective personnel, and ultimately, a decrease in productivity.
Historically,
efforts to address psychological needs arrive in the weeks, months
and years after a traumatic event - after emotional scars have
formed and after people are labeled with a traumatic stress
disorder. In recent years, techniques have been developed to
demobilize, defuse and debrief people after disengagement
from a crisis - following a traumatic event.
Notwithstanding,
there is little information offering practical strategies to help
individuals during a traumatic experience...a time when people are
highly suggestible, impressionable and vulnerable.” M.D.Lerner,.
President,
American
Academy
of Experts in Traumatic Stress
What
is psychological or emotional trauma?
“The ability to recognize emotional trauma has
changed radically over the course of history. Until recently
psychological trauma was noted only in men after catastrophic wars.
The women's movement in the sixties broadened the definition of
emotional trauma to include physically and sexually abused women and
children. Now, because of the discoveries made in the nineties -
known as the decade of the brain - psychological trauma has
further broadened its definition.
Recent
research has revealed that emotional trauma can result from such
common occurrences as an auto accident, the breakup of a significant
relationship, a humiliating or deeply disappointing experience, the
discovery of a life-threatening illness or disabling condition, or
other similar situations. Traumatizing events can take a serious
emotional toll on those involved, even if the event did not cause
physical damage.
Regardless
of its source, an emotional trauma contains three common elements:
• it was unexpected;
• the person was unprepared; and
• there was nothing the person could do to prevent it from
happening.
It
is not the event that determines whether something is traumatic to
someone, but the individual's experience of the event. And it
is not predictable how a given person will react to a particular
event. For someone who is used to being in control of emotions and
events, it may be surprising - even embarrassing - to discover that
something like an accident or job loss can be so debilitating.”
(www.helpguide.org)
We acknowledge that the management of protective
services, medical and rescue workers endeavour to protect their
personnel against physical and psychological injury through training
and support services.
The main task for the management is to differentiate
between stressors which are clearly job-related and those which are
not. They usually choose not to ignore the issue of job-stress and
strive to intervene in job-related stressors if the symptoms grow in
intensity and frequency.
Working
far from home and then returning home
For months and months the idea of “going home”
might have kept you going. However, during the time you were away,
things changed. You changed and the people at home changed.
You experienced things that your family and friends did
not partake in. You were exposed to situations where you had to do
your best to survive.
At the same time, your family and friends had to go on
with life on a day-to-day basis, without you. This means that
someone had to do your chores and solve the problems you usually
handled. Your wife might have gained the skill to replace a light
bulb or fix a broken electrical plug.
On your return, you might feel left out, because of your
family’s new skills. This is especially true if you have children,
because they physically grew and changed in the time that you were
away. Now it might be a challenge to fit into the family’s
“normal” routine.
Short term coping aids for returning into family life
- Structure your life.
- Increase your physical activity level.
- Talk about your feelings.
- Limit the
use of alcohol and any type of drugs.
- Remember other people may also be under stress.
- Give yourself permission to feel bad, to cry and to grieve.
- Replace bodily fluids.
- Eat regularly and nutritionally.
- Try to sleep well.
- DO NICE THINGS FOR YOURSELF!
Common Reactions Experienced in the Face of Traumatic Exposure
MD Lerner
Emotional
Responses during a traumatic event may include shock, in which the individual may
present a highly anxious, active response or perhaps a seemingly
stunned, emotionally-numb response. He may describe feeling as
though he is "in a fog." He may exhibit denial, in which
there is an inability to acknowledge the impact of the situation or
perhaps, that the situation has occurred. He may evidence
dissociation, in which he may seem dazed and apathetic, and he may
express feelings of unreality. Other frequently observed acute
emotional responses may include panic, fear, intense feelings of
aloneness, hopelessness, helplessness, emptiness, uncertainty,
horror, terror, anger, hostility, irritability, depression, grief
and feelings of guilt.
Cognitive
Responses to traumatic exposure are often reflected in impaired concentration,
confusion, disorientation, difficulty in making a decision, a short
attention span, suggestibility, vulnerability, forgetfulness,
self-blame, blaming others, lowered self-efficacy, thoughts of
losing control, hypervigilance, and perseverative thoughts of the
traumatic event. For example, upon extrication of a survivor from an
automobile accident, he may cognitively still "be in" the
automobile "playing the tape" of the accident over and
over in his mind.
Behavioral
Responses in the face of a traumatic event may include withdrawal,
"spacing-out," non-communication, changes in speech
patterns, regressive behaviors, erratic movements, impulsivity, a
reluctance to abandon property, seemingly aimless walking, pacing,
an inability to sit still, an exaggerated startle response and
antisocial behaviors.
Physiological
Responses may include rapid heart beat, elevated blood pressure, difficulty
breathing*, shock symptoms*, chest pains*, cardiac palpitations*,
muscle tension and pains, fatigue, fainting, flushed face, pale
appearance, chills, cold clammy skin, increased sweating, thirst,
dizziness, vertigo, hyperventilation, headaches, grinding of teeth,
twitches and gastrointestinal upset.
Do
you need help?
After all you have seen and experienced, you might not know
whether you need to see a professional therapist or counsellor. Here
are a few questions that can assist in assessing your situation.
1.
Do you often have headaches?
2.
Is your appetite poor?
3.
Do you sleep badly?
4.
Are you easily frightened?
5.
Do your hands shake?
6.
Do you feel nervous, tense, or
worried?
7.
Is your digestion poor?
8.
Do you have trouble thinking clearly?
9.
Do you feel unhappy?
10.
Do you cry more than usual?
11.
Do you find it difficult to enjoy
daily activities?
12.
Do you find it difficult to make
decisions?
13.
Is your daily work suffering?
14.
Are you unable to play a useful part
in life?
15.
Have you lost interest in things?
16.
Do you feel that you are a worthless
person?
17.
Has the thought of ending your life
been in your mind?
18.
Do you feel tired all the time?
19.
Do you feel that someone has been
trying to harm you in some way?
20.
Are you a much more important person
than most people think?
21.
Do you hear voices without knowing
where they come from or which other people cannot hear?
22.
Do you often get drunk?
Please remember that you are responsible for your own
emotional wellbeing. If you look at the list of questions and see
that there are areas of concern, discuss it with a medical doctor.
The doctor will refer you to the best available person to help you
deal this the specific problem area.
Don’t be too proud to ask for help, because life is
precious!
Problem
solving
In problem solving the most important
decision is the decision to settle a problem or to meet a need. This
decision should be in terms of all parties winning in the deal.
1.
Recognizing
the need/problem
This is the part where the problem
gets a name.
Helpful tools are using "I" messages, listening to
understand and confessing: "My contribution to the problem
is..."
Honesty is a very important element of finding a long-term answer or
solution.
2.
Generating
all possible ideas for solutions
Write down every idea for solutions. Don't evaluate yet! Just
write down all the ideas that come to mind.
3.
Evaluate
all the ideas
Take each and every idea and write all
the positive and all the negative attributes of that idea down.
Don't evaluate yet, because it is important to look at all the
options with an open mind.
4.
Choose
a solution
Now you are ready to select one or a combination of these
options.
Write your choice down and review the positive and all the negative
attributes of your option.
5.
Take
responsibility for the solution
It is important to take time to decide what needs to be done,
by whom, by when, where and how. Write all these details down and
stick to your plan.
6.
Evaluate
your solution.
Now that you are not hopeless and helpless any more, you can
evaluate your solution and make the necessary adjustments.
7.
Complex
problems
It is true that most problems are more complex than the steps
we explained. These steps are applicable to all problems. You might
need to look at the big problem from a different angle, by breaking
it up in smaller parts. Should the problem consist out of three or
four parts, decide which part needs to be solved first and use this
model.
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