Understanding Traumatic Stress

by Nigel Hunt, Sue McHale

Traumatic events are common, and range from road traffic accidents, through rape and sexual abuse, to disaster and war. While many people deal effectively with these experiences, a minority have severe problems, which are often manifested as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The book is aimed at those with PTSD and those who are caring for someone with the disorder. It includes a strong focus on wounded military personnel. Topics understanding the symptoms including memory problems, avoidance and denial, emotional numbing, and hyperarousal, related disorders such as depression and substance abuse; traumatic memories and the underlying biology - how brain mechanisms are affected in the response to traumatic events. Treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy and EMDR. Narrative approaches, whereby people develop their own stories about their traumatic experiences to help them put them into meaningful contexts; Drug techniques including anxiolytics and antidepressants, and the problems of prescribing drugs for such a complex disorder; Problems faced by carers; Vicarious or secondary trauma; Growing through experience - trauma from an alternative perspective, that of resilience and growth; Professional help - your GP, clinical psychologists and psychiatrists

Genres: Health

128 pages, Paperback

First published May 20, 2010

Reviews

[Louise Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

i suffer chronicallyn from ptsd much more thaN the other things wrongdont really like the world but lets say it is much more of a nightmare than aspergers , .
I would call this book a very basic one for dealing with ptsd but found it interesting to hear how u can get over a traumatic event and then something quite small to trigger it off , yer tell me abt it , the in things to treat this is emdr which is what i amn waiting for , and what a wait it is will be two years next month , i know cos went to a friends 21 st and she is now 23 !!!

It is of interst how the book claims story telling helps but if u have ptsd becasue and the main culprit is abuse , it is much more difficult to tell the story all though if it is just for u why not !!!!
i think the book was helpful perhaps like myself but no one really knows how it has taken over my life , and then most helpful thing was the picture on the front cover with a picture of the brain s shattered into little compartments showed picture to a so called friend !! that what my head is like and thats y want to bop people over the head , which i dont do most of the time yer agree writing things down fee better altready !!