TRAUMATIC EFFECTS OF VIOLENCE ON WOMEN
The events of violence against women, which is one of the bleeding wounds of our country and whose traumatic effects we encounter every day, are called "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder". We will take a look at its relationship with women.
What is violence against women?
Any violence against women that harms, injures, causes physical, mental or sexual damage, in private life or in society. These are all kinds of behaviors that restrict women's freedom by applying pressure.
What psychological problems do women exposed to violence encounter?
Depression, panic disorder, anxiety disorders, sexual Women who are exposed to violence are more likely to experience functional disorders, eating problems, obsessive-compulsive behavioral disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder. As a result of violence, women experience a state of helplessness, which causes mental and physical problems. It is useful to talk about trauma, which is caused by violence and is one of the problems frequently encountered in our country in recent years.
What is Trauma?
Natural disasters such as earthquakes and wars. Traumatic events are events that exceed a person's ability to cope, such as being sexually or physically attacked, sexual harassment, childhood abuse, exposure to torture, traffic accidents, work-related accidents, being diagnosed with a disease that threatens human life, or witnessing a frightening event. . However, not every distressing event experienced can be called "psychological trauma". The reactions shown when faced with the event are as important as the nature of the event.
What is required for the event to be called traumatic?
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Extreme horror at the event Reactions of despair, helplessness and fear have been given,
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The person has experienced a death or a life-threatening situation, an event that threatens the physical integrity of himself or someone he knows, or has witnessed It should be.
What is post-traumatic stress disorder?
Most people recover spontaneously after traumatic events. But months and years passed after the incident. People who do not recover from the effects of drinking, even if they drink, continue to experience extreme stress or anxiety due to the traumatic event. They may see images of the event or have nightmares, as if they are reliving the events. They experience sleeping problems, feel alienated from the people around them, and have attention problems. When these situations occur, post-traumatic stress disorder comes to mind.
What are the causes of post-traumatic stress disorder?
The more serious the trauma, the longer it lasts. and the more dangerous it is, the more likely people may be to develop post-traumatic stress disorder.
What are the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder?
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Re-experiencing the experienced event: The person complains that he sees himself reliving or remembering the traumatic event in his dreams. Dissociative seizures may occur in which outside observers have the impression that they are reliving the traumatic event. The person feels intense distress when he/she catches associations about the event.
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Attempt to avoid situations that remind of the trauma: Avoiding events and people that remind of the trauma, staying away from reminding activities.
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Symptoms of overstimulation: The person is more tense than before the trauma he experienced. Having symptoms such as anger outbursts, attention problems, problems falling and staying asleep, and work inefficiency.
People who have experienced trauma generally have the following thoughts; “I am not safe”, “I can experience a similar event again at any moment”, “No one can understand me, I am alone”, “The world is not a fair place”.
What are the post-traumatic stress disorder reactions?
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Physical Reactions: Acceleration of heartbeat and breathing, sweating, movement in the digestive system, difficulty falling asleep, changes in appetite, pain in different parts of the body, nausea, muscle tension, Fatigue, changes in sexual urges are felt.
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Emotional Reactions: Emotional symptoms such as sadness, depressive mood, fear, guilt, panic, numbness are experienced.
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Behavioral Reactions: Sudden behaviors, substance intake, sudden reactions, Behaviors such as blaming others, eating problems, desire to control everything, withdrawal, keeping oneself away may be observed.
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Mental Reactions: Memory problems, inattention problems, nightmares, difficulty in remembering, Sleep disturbance may occur.
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Social Reactions: Decrease in performance in business or education life, alienation from people and difficulty in following the rules may be observed.
How is the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder?
Over time, as the person spends time with his family and the people around him, he can recover spontaneously with their help. However, if the symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder last more than 1-2 weeks and the person has not improved or even continues to negatively affect his or her life, he or she should seek psychologist or psychiatry support. The correct approach is supportive, encouraging to discuss the event, and educational initiatives on coping with distress. Efforts should be made to prevent the person from denying the event, encouraging approaches should be adopted for the person to express his feelings about the event, and plans for future actions should be made together with the person to get rid of this situation.
Relaxation exercises and cognitive approaches can be useful to cope with stress. It is also beneficial to try family and group treatments.
Most people who receive support can continue their lives by improving their quality of life.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, Exposure therapy and drug therapy Traumatic effect It is used in the treatment of people who are alive.
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