The Effects Of Secondary Trauma

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Trauma is defined as a deeply distressing or disturbing experience; however, it can impact those who experience the initial experience and those who learn about it. Secondary trauma is a state of emotional distress caused by hearing the firsthand stories of trauma survivors. Trauma is a social disease because it is spread through close relationships impacting family and friends and can be prevented. Trauma is spread through close relationships with trauma survivors. Those most at risk for developing secondary trauma are those who are witness the emotional retelling of the trauma, including family, friends, medical providers. This retelling may come in many forms such as: through speaking, writing, or drawing (Whitfield 59). One develops secondary Shoji’s trauma has a physical and mental manifestation. Due to exposure to radiation, Shoji developed bad hearing and vision and her teeth fell out (Stillman par. 12). Shoji’s granddaughter, Keni Sabath, has developed secondary trauma upon learning of her grandmother’s experience at a young age. Doctors thought Sabath was “haunted by the ghosts of Hiroshima” (Stillman par. 16). As a child, Sabath visited Japan and feared American planes flying over for fear of being bombed (Stillman par. A study conducted in Croatia focused on determining the symptoms of secondary trauma and if family can develop secondary trauma. This study analyzed fifty-six wives of war veterans that were diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder. The wives were chosen based on their husband being in the psychotherapy program at the Center for Psychotrauma in Rijeka. Those who agreed to participate in the study began with a short interview that supplied demographic and socioeconomic data. This is to determine if developing secondary trauma is impacted by one’s living status. Then, the women filled out a questionnaire that analyzes the symptoms of secondary trauma (Franciskovic 179). This study found that out of the fifty-six women only three of them did not have any symptoms of secondary trauma (Franciskovic 180). Overall, the study found that living with a traumatized person impacts family members (Franciskovic

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