Ptsd in a child due to the loss of a loved one. Psychological assistance program

What types of injuries are there?

Variety. For each of us, the degree of traumatic event is different. Children are most susceptible to injury. Whether or not a child will receive childhood psychological trauma depends largely on the individual sensitivity, activity of the child, as well as the presence or absence of parental support and care when the child encounters trauma.

• Thus, the trauma of violence in a child can arise both from the regular use of physical punishment by parents and from force-feeding.
• The occurrence of trauma associated with sexual abuse ranges from cases of a child experiencing exhibitionism (showing their genitals to an adult) to cases of direct sexual abuse.
• Children can suffer life-threatening injuries both when faced with a real threat (road accidents, etc.) and during medical interventions and operations.
• The trauma of rejection can arise both in the case if a child at an early age is left for a long time without parental care (parents leave, leaving the child with other relatives, the child goes to kindergarten before the age of 3, not being ready for this, etc.), and in the case rejection by children in children's groups (kindergarten, school).

It should be noted that psychological trauma is not necessarily an acquisition of childhood. An adult can also be injured in a life-threatening situation or sudden, catastrophic loss.

Epidemiology and risk factors

The prevalence of PTSD among children and adolescents is not easy to determine. Blom and Oberink (2012) reviewed 17 studies that reported the prevalence of PTSD among young adults who had experienced a variety of traumatic events. This figure was found to range from 5.3 to 98% depending on the type of event. The highest level was determined among children and adolescents who survived wars, political persecution or repression, and the lowest among those who suffered serious illness or injury.

Unfortunately, children are at risk for traumatic events in the community, schools, and even within their families. Historically, trauma has most often referred to catastrophic events such as terrorism, war, famine and genocide. Many children live in conditions of violence, danger and poverty. Millions are subject to trauma, cruelty and mistreatment. There are also injuries that cannot be prevented, such as serious injury or illness, or the loss of a parent due to illness, death, imprisonment, or natural disaster.

Children who experience a traumatic event are likely to develop PTSD more often than adults (Fletcher, 1996). Even if childhood trauma does not lead to PTSD, it increases the risk of this disorder as well as other health problems in adulthood (Widom, 1999; Dube et al., 2003). Copeland et al. (2007) found that among adolescents aged 14–16 years, when compared with children aged 9–13 years, following a traumatic event, significant determinants of the development of PTSD over the subsequent year were pre-existing anxiety and family dysfunction.

Suliman et al. (2009) determined that adolescents who experienced multiple traumatic events experienced more PTSD symptoms than those who experienced only one. However, after a single trauma, girls were more likely than boys to have PTSD.

Do I have psychological trauma?

The results of studies on the prevalence of experiences of psychological trauma show that the prevalence of traumatic experiences is much higher than previously estimated by experts.

Below is a list of psychological processes and conditions, each of which, even manifesting independently and in the singular, can be a sign of unprocessed mental trauma. Often these conditions manifest themselves in multiple forms.

• From time to time, unusually vivid memories involuntarily come to you, lasting from a few seconds to several hours, during which it seems that a terrible episode from the past is intruding into present reality.
• You delve into memories against your will and experience past events as if they were happening here and now.
• Your sleep is disturbed and you have nightmares.
• Sometimes you experience a condition similar to depression.
• It is difficult for you to plan the future; your perception of your own life and your capabilities is limited.
• You hurt yourself, either intentionally or accidentally (frequently falling, cutting yourself, hitting yourself) or getting sick frequently.
• You have phobias (you are afraid of closed spaces, open spaces, insects, animals, air travel, etc.).
• You have anxiety attacks or anxiety attacks.
• You are wary, constantly living in anticipation of danger, hypervigilant.
• You are irritable, regularly experience outbursts of anger, and often take offense at other people.
• You experience a wide range of problems in relationships with other people, disrupting your social and personal life.
• You constantly “step on the same rake”, meet people or find yourself in situations that do more harm than good.
• You feel like you are living in a daze, positive emotions are muted, not expressed, you do not experience joy, pleasure, happiness.
• You have difficulty concentrating.
• You abuse alcohol or other psychotropic substances.

DSM-IV Diagnostic Criteria for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

A . The patient was exposed to a traumatic event in which the following phenomena occurred:

• The patient has experienced, witnessed, or participated in an event or events that constituted a real or potential threat of death or serious harm or a risk of impairment of physical integrity to the patient or others.
• The patient's reaction manifested itself in the form of fear, helplessness or horror.

Exposure to an extreme stressor leads to the manifestation of PTSD in the form of three constellations: intrusion, avoidance and hyperactivity.

B. _ The traumatic event was re-experienced in the form of one or more of the following manifestations (intrusion):

• Repeated, intrusive memories of events, including images, thoughts, or sensations.
• Recurrent and significantly distressing dreams about the experience.
• Acting or feeling as if the traumatic event were happening again (including feelings of reenactment of the experience, illusions, hallucinations, and dissociative episodes, including those that occur upon awakening or while intoxicated).
• Severe psychological distress due to external or internal stimuli that symbolize or resemble some aspect of the traumatic event.
• Physiological reactivity under the influence of external or internal stimuli that symbolize or resemble some aspect of the traumatic event.

IN . Persistent avoidance of trauma-related stimuli and general numbness (not present before the trauma), as evidenced by at least 3 of the following symptoms (avoidance):

• Trying to avoid thoughts, feelings, or conversations related to the trauma;
• Trying to avoid activities, places, or people that trigger memories of the trauma;
• Partial or complete amnesia of important aspects of the injury;
• Marked decrease in interest in or participation in previously significant activities;
• Feeling detached or alienated from others;
• Narrowing of the range of affective response (for example, inability to experience love);
• Inability to focus on a long-term life perspective (for example, the patient does not plan to pursue a career, get married, have children, or build a normal life);

G . Persistent manifestations of increased arousal (absent before the injury), evidenced by at least 2 of the following symptoms (hyperactivity):

• Difficulty falling asleep or disruption of sleep duration;
• Irritability or angry outbursts;
• Difficulty concentrating;
• Hypervigilance;
• Increased reaction to fear;

D. Duration of the disorder (symptoms described within criteria B , C , and D ) for more than 1 month.

E. The disorder causes clinically significant distress or social impairment. labor or other spheres of life.

Specify the type of disorder: Acute - if symptoms persist for less than 3 months. Chronic – if symptoms persist for 3 months. and more. Delayed – if symptoms occur after at least 6 months. after the end of the stressor.

In a small proportion of cases, PTSD, showing a chronic course over many years, can develop into chronic personality changes.

Help from a psychologist for psychological trauma

First, a psychologist helps you find resources to cope with difficult experiences. And then comes the process of processing the trauma. You remember a traumatic event, but in a safe environment, using technology for working with trauma. As a result, painful memories become bearable, nightmares go away, it becomes easier to cope with irritability and resentment, and strength and energy appear in the body.

This is long-term work (from several months to several years), during which you can feel liberated, able to change your life for the better, use your inner knowledge and intuition, feel the presence of strength to make your life the way you want or accept the situation , which cannot be changed.

People who have undergone quality work with trauma say, “It seems like nothing has changed, and at the same time, a lot has changed.” Life becomes qualitatively different when trauma ceases to control us, but finds a place of peace in our soul.

Be healthy and happy!

What should I do if my child has PTSD?

Watching your child become a “hostage” to the trauma they have experienced can make you feel powerless and not always clear what steps to take first. The best place to start is to listen to your child and not ignore his problems and difficulties. Team up with family members and a therapist who can support you and your child. You can contact a psychologist at your child's school, hospital, or local crisis center, where they can tell you where to go next.

Remember that PTSD is treatable and your child can live their life as normal. The steps you take today will help your child build their future without fear or regard for the suffering they have experienced.

Reasons for appearance

PTSD occurs after experiencing severe stress, an event that has had a strong impact on the human psyche. Such situations can be both objectively traumatic and subjectively negative, depending on the individual’s individual experience.

Causes of PTSD may include:

• combat mental trauma;

  
  Almost all combatants suffer from PTSD

• sexual violence;
• Act of terrorism;
• natural and man-made disasters;
• serious illnesses;
• accidents;
• poisoning;
• operations, surgery;
• consequences of taking psychedelic substances;
• separation from loved ones;
• death of a loved one;
• any manifestations of violence;
• participation in torture and murder.

Kinds

PTSD is a disorder that is classified in psychology into the following types:

1. Anxious type. The disorder is manifested by attacks of severe anxiety, causing severe nervous and physical tension. The patient becomes very irritable and suffers from sleep problems. Those around him may notice his frequent mood swings and short temper. The patient can either withdraw into himself or actively communicate in order to escape from disturbing thoughts.
2. Asthenic type. The disorder manifests itself as problems with sleeping, eating, and communicating with other people. The patient becomes very vulnerable and sensitive to criticism, often looks for reasons for accusations and is suspicious. At the same time, a person may be aware of his serious condition and strive to receive appropriate help.

   

3. Dysphoric type. The disease is characterized by a special degree of anger and irritability. A person is constantly gloomy and dissatisfied in appearance, suffers from feelings of envy and hatred of healthy people, including relatives and friends. The patient either does not consider himself to be in need of treatment, or requires special attention to himself and is very suspicious of procedures and therapy.
4. Somatophoric type. The somatophoric group of diseases includes deviations of a psychogenic nature, in which the mental problems of patients are hidden behind somatic symptoms. With PTSD, such symptoms may include headaches, irregular heartbeat, and dyspeptic symptoms. Patients may also suffer from hypochondria, constantly look for symptoms of the most dangerous diseases and worry about emerging attacks of fear.
5. The hysterical type of PTSD manifests itself in the form of demonstrative behavior, the desire to attract attention, increased suggestibility and self-hypnosis.
6. The depressed type is characterized by low mood and pessimism.