This is the 5061st article of Dr. Xiao Hu at DadaCare
A month ago, patient Pan was hospitalized for multiple injuries due to a car accident.
During the hospitalization, the pain of the wounds and the scene of the accident
made him frequently unable to sleep at night and uninterested in anything.
His elderly mother took care of him day and night, but received his cold words:
“Don’t bother taking care of me, just let me suffer alone.”
He sighed all day and even engaged in self-harming behavior…
In life, we inevitably encounter some painful experiences, these experiences may bring us psychological trauma. Even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may occur after the trauma.
What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) refers to a severe mental illness that occurs in individuals after experiencing intense psychological trauma. It is a delayed and sustained mental disorder caused by experiencing, witnessing, or encountering one or more events involving actual death of oneself or others, threat of death, severe injury, or threat to physical integrity. Patients re-experience the trauma, accompanied by deep emotions of sadness or anxiety, involuntarily immerse in memories, experience chest tightness, palpitations, insomnia, irritability, selective forgetfulness, loss of hope and confidence in the future, and other psychological, physiological reactions, and mental illnesses.
Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
1. Trauma Re-Experience
This is the most common and characteristic symptom after trauma.
1) Recurring memories of the event or scenes from the traumatic event occur in-consciousness;
2) Nightmares related to the traumatic event during sleep;
3) Experiencing emotional distress or physiological stress response when faced with events, places, or people related to the traumatic event.
2. Hyperarousal
There is a Chinese idiom that says “Once bitten by a snake, one is scared all his life,” which is a spontaneous state. It is often manifested as excessive alertness, easily startled, poor concentration, irritability, and anxiety. Physical symptoms may include palpitations, sweating, headaches, general discomfort, etc., and usually persist for a long time, making treatment difficult.
3. Avoidance and Numbness
Avoidance includes not only specific scenes but also related thoughts, feelings, and topics
1) Internally controlling thoughts about the event or person, avoiding activities or scenes that trigger memories;
2) Selective forgetting (amnesia) of related things; keeping oneself busy with constant learning and work.
3) Emotional numbness, such as losing interest in previous hobbies, gradually distancing oneself from friends, losing future aspirations.
What is psychological intervention after trauma?
Post-trauma psychological intervention is a process of helping people solve psychological problems through psychological principles and methods. Studies have shown that patients who feel anxious or depressed about their physical condition usually heal more slowly than those with optimistic attitudes. When living with a wound, one can experience emotional or psychological impacts in many different ways. Traumatic events can have profound psychological effects on individuals, such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, etc. After trauma, we can use psychological intervention methods to alleviate pain, restore psychological well-being, and improve quality of life.
What are the methods of psychological intervention?
1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a psychological treatment method aimed at changing patients’ thinking patterns and behaviors. It allows patients to reorganize their ways of thinking and view traumatic events with a more positive mindset. The core of CBT is exposure therapy, where patients face situations that trigger emotional responses related to the trauma, evoke traumatic memories, and then treat the pathological aspects of these memories. Through CBT, patients can learn to identify and change negative thinking patterns, thereby reducing the negative effects of trauma.
2. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is a treatment method that combines eye movements, sounds, or other stimuli to guide patients in processing traumatic memories while simultaneously stimulating different parts of the brain responsible for these stimuli. By moving the patient’s eyes left and right following the therapist’s finger, or focusing on flashing lights on either side of the screen, patients can anchor themselves in the present while recalling past memories. Through EMDR, patients can safely re-experience the traumatic event, thereby reducing its emotional and behavioral impact.
3. Art Therapy
Art therapy is a method of helping patients express and process trauma through artistic forms such as painting, music, dance, etc. Through art therapy, patients can transform inner pain into artistic works to achieve catharsis and healing.
4. Psychological Support Groups
Psychological support groups are small groups composed of individuals who have had similar experiences, allowing members to express themselves, share experiences, and provide support. Participating in psychological support groups can help patients realize they are not alone, thus enhancing their confidence and ability to cope with trauma.
Psychological intervention after trauma is a complex and important process that requires care and support. By understanding different psychological intervention methods, we can better help ourselves or others move out of the shadow of trauma and embrace a better future.
References:
[1] Zhou Y, Sun L, Liu W. Psychological treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder: a 5-year RCT review. Medical Journal of Chinese PLA, 2019, 44(9): 797-807. DOI:10.11855/j.issn.0577-7402.2019.09.16.
[2] Huang R, Wu S. Research progress on clinical diagnosis and psychological intervention of post-traumatic stress disorder. Chinese Clinical Medicine, 2021, 28(2): 316-322. DOI:10.12025/j.issn.1008-6358.2021.20201536.
[3] Liu X. Exposure therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology, 2009, 17(4): 518-520
[4] Jiang Y, Yan B. The influence of targeted psychological intervention on traumatic stress disorder and rehabilitation in emergency trauma patients[J]. Chinese Drugs & Clinics, 2019, 19(17): 3026-3028.
[5] Hu X. The application of supportive psychological intervention in emergency trauma patients with post-traumatic stress disorder[J]. Chinese Journal of Modern Nursing, 2019, 25(28): 4.
Author: Trauma Treatment Center, Tongji Hospital, Shanghai
Chen Yanpeng
Further Reading
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Can accidentally severed fingers be reattached?
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