The Psychology Articles

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a mental disorder in someone who comes after experiencing a traumatic experience in life or an event which threatens the safety of his soul. For example the event of war, rape or sexual assault, an attack that injured body, torture, child abuse, natural disasters such as earthquakes, landslides, flash floods, traffic accidents or unfortunate plane crash. People who experience life as a witness is likely to experience stress disorder. (Bufka & Barlow, 2006:1)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can affect those who personally experience the catastrophe, those who witness it, and those who pick up the pieces afterwards, including emergency workers and law enforcement officers. It can even occur in the friends or family members of those who went through the actual trauma (Smith & Segal. 2008).

Some sources define Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as follows:

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened (American Psychological Association, 2004).

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that can develop following a traumatic event that threatens your safety or makes you feel helpless (Smith & Segal, 2008).

Events that can be categorized as traumatic events generally contain three elements as follows (Jaffe, Segal, & Dumke, 2005):

1. It was unexpected

2. The person was unprepared

3. There was nothing the person could do to prevent it from happening

... any overwhelming life experience can trigger PTSD, especially if the event is perceived as unpredictable and uncontrollable (Smith & Segal. 2008).

Smith & Segal mentions of traumatic events can lead to the emergence of PTSD include:

• War
• Rape
• Natural disasters
• A car or plane crash
• Kidnapping
• Violent assault
• Sexual or physical abuse
• Medical procedures - especially in kids

Over the years the study, 17 symptom / symptoms of PTSD have been identified. Symptoms-symptoms are written in the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). The 17 symptoms were divided into three major groups. The three groups, and symptom-specific symptoms that are in it are described below:

Re-Experiencing Symptoms

• Frequently having upsetting thoughts or memories about a traumatic event
• Having recurrent nightmares
• Acting or feeling as though the traumatic event were happening again, sometimes called a "flashback"
• Having very strong feelings of distress when reminded of the traumatic event
• Being physically responsive, such as experiencing a surge in your heart rate or sweating, to reminders of the traumatic event

Avoidance Symptoms

• Making an effort to avoid thoughts, feelings, or conversations about the traumatic event.
• Making an effort to avoid places or people that remind you of the traumatic event.
• Having a difficult time remembering important parts of the traumatic event.
• A loss of interest in important, once positive, activities.
• Feeling distant from others.
• Experiencing difficulties having positive feelings, such as happiness or love.
• Feeling as though your life may be cut short - you don’t expect to live a normal life span, get married, have a career.

Hyperarousal Symptoms

• Having a difficult time falling or staying asleep.
• Feeling more irritable or having outbursts of anger.
• Having difficulty concentrating.
• "Feeling constantly "on guard" or like danger is lurking around every corner".
• Being "jumpy" or easily startled.

Therefore need to be socialized practical matters related to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Seeking social support

· Make contact with others can reduce feelings of sadness (distress)

· Children and adolescents can be calm and positive when things can get together with peers

· Contact relationships can be done with family members, friends or with fellow victims

Social Support Options

· Husband / Wife

· Boyfriend

· Pastor, Father, Sister, Ustad, Ustadzah, Alim Ulama

· Volunteer Group

· a trusted family member

· The doctor or nurse

· Coworkers

· Close friends

· Crisis Counselors

· Pets

This thing should be done

· Talking with caution

· Start a conversation about practical things

· Ask in advance if this is the right time to engage him in talk

· It was prepared things to be discussed

· Tell the purpose of your presence if you would like to invite to talk or just to accompany him

· Tell how grateful you are for a willingness to listen

· Choose a time and place

· Talk about the pain and bitterness that befall him when you're ready

· Ask what you want or how to help â € "a major thing that can help at this time

That thing you must do

· Shut up just because they think it will just make mad

· Be quiet because they thought they would not listen

· Be quiet because of fear of offending

· Just wait for follow stress or fear can not help

How to get in touch

· Call family or friends by telephone

· Participate involved with volunteer groups

· Increase contacts with close friends

· Participate involved in recovery activities

· Build / activate re-recitation teaching activities at the mosque / church activities / pure / pagoda

Providing Social Support

You can help family members and friends who experienced the disaster by sharing time with them and listen to the story carefully. Many people can recover well when they feel accepted and understood by others. Some chose not much from his experience, and some may otherwise to discussion up repeatedly. Talking about the incident that happened to a little help from the disaster, along with it, just by sharing my time with him to make him feel close to and accepted, though without speaking to feel better.

The reason why people would reject the Social Support

· Do not know what they want

· Do not want to bother other people

· Want to avoid thinking about or experiencing a traumatic event

· Feeling embarrassed or weak

· Doubtful that it can help him, or anyone else can not understand

· Feeling other people will be disappointed or judgmental

· Feeling will lose self-control

· It is desperately seeking help and was previously nothing helps

· Not knowing what to ask for help to anyone? Positive things that happen when you get Social support

· Look interested, attentive and caring

· There was a respect for the individual reactions and begin able to live better

· Can be better to comment about the disasters that have occurred

· Able to communicate well at all times

· In the months since stress can gradually recover

· It is believed that everyone can recover as usual

· Free from the assessment of others

· Able to discuss the positive things that can be done in the recovery

· Able to talk to or share time together as long as needed

Things that can interfere with Social Support

· Forcing people to feel comfortable and say that all that has passed

· Showing that others weaker than yourself is tough because it can live life better

· Only talk about his own experience without wanting to hear other people's stories

· Giving advice that is not appropriate because you do not ask or to hear it first

· Stop talking when people are expressing the things that bother him

· Tell them, that they included a lucky survivor

If the Social Support provided is not sufficient.

· Let them know what the experts say that the dodge and pull out will cause an increase in sadness / fear (distress) and realize that the social support provided to help them to recover

· Convincing them to want to communicate with the counselor, cleric / priest, or doctor / nurse who volunteered to help them

· Convincing them to engage in a group that supports each other that are equally affected

· In the end the support of others in a social environment will be a part of yourself that is very supportive of one another.