Corona and Trauma
We are going through very difficult times due to the coronavirus epidemic throughout the world. This process we have been through has caused us to reconsider and think about many things. One of the consequences of this global epidemic, which threatens the lives and existence of individuals and is distressing for everyone, is the trauma people experience.
In this traumatic period we live in, there is uncertainty, fear of infecting the disease to oneself or one's family, and not feeling safe. Intense emotions will be a source of anxiety. Not knowing the exact treatment of COVID-19 disease may lead to behavioral and communication problems such as being separated from loved ones, loss of freedom, feeling of helplessness, and anger problems. Even just the change in daily life style due to the epidemic in society can lead to trauma reactions in individuals. In such cases, acute stress disorder or post-traumatic stress disorders may occur. However, not every individual who experiences trauma perceives events or situations in the same way and does not react in the same way. At the end of this process, some of us will spontaneously return to normal, while others will struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
What is Trauma?
Trauma; The individual is actually exposed to or comes close to events such as life-threatening, injury, sexual assault, witnesses such events, or is attacked by a relative. >̧It is considered as the occurrence of such an event (DSM-5; APA, 2013). The American Psychiatric Association defines traumatic stress as "a state of intense fear and helplessness felt in the face of death or the threat of death, serious injury, or a situation that threatens the physical integrity of the subject or those around him."
Life is full of many experiences that can create traumatic stress. Individuals' reactions to the traumatic event may vary. Of course, there are many factors that affect this situation. Among these factors, the individual's class structure, socio-economic status, cultural characteristics, individual characteristics, spiritual affects al reactions. People experiencing PTSD constantly replay memories of the traumatic event in their mind in a disturbing way. (flashback) The person experiences anxiety by thinking about the possibility of this event happening again and resorts to practices that will restrict functionality in daily life.
In case of abnormal and excessive thinking (rumination) in PTSD, the person tries to suppress the thought, which is non-adaptive (maladaptive) such as avoidance. ) methods frequently and the person does not realize that these are dysfunctional in the metacognitive (higher-level cognitive structure that controls, organizes and evaluates cognitions) dimension. In other words, the person becomes a habit of non-functional coping methods, but this does not bring a solution to the source of the real problem.
In the treatment of PTSD, depending on the frequency and severity of the symptoms, psychotherapy methods are very effective in addition to medication. Sometimes, the individual can recover only through psychotherapy methods, without medication. It shows that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and EMDR (Eye Movement Reprocessing) Method are very effective on PTSD and many accompanying psychological disorders.
What can we do to reduce the psychological impact?
The feelings and thoughts we experience should not be ignored. Receiving news from loved ones, providing communication opportunities, preventing information pollution, and preventing the quarantine process itself from turning into a traumatic factor.
Finally, as an individual who has struggled with Covid-19 as a family, I would like to add, "This period is a time when people need to be together." It is a period in which intense and complex emotions are experienced, where the questions "why?" and "why?" are asked, where the desire to know that your loved ones are with you again, and when hearing your voice is a source of happiness..."
Do not hesitate to express your feelings, share your experiences. and share your thoughts. The best thing for you would be to talk about your experiences and share them in this process. In a situation where we cannot cope with the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, you should definitely get help from experts.
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