Millions of people each year flee their country in order to escape persecution and conflict, seeking asylum as a refugee (Amnesty International Australia 2011). Many refugees present with and develop mental illness due to having experienced or witnessing events such as rape, torture, war, imprisonment, murder, physical injury and genocide, before fleeing their homes (Nicholl & Thompson 2004). Refugees are now accessing mental health services for the treatment of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) defined by DSM-IV-TR is “characterised by the re-experiencing of an extremely traumatic event accompanied by symptoms of increased arousal and by avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma” (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 2000). There are many impacts and effects this disorder has on refugees requiring treatment, interventions, education and a need for understanding the individuals’ cultural sensitivities. The DSM-IV-TR requires six criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD. Criterion A defines the traumatic event, including any specifics relating to the event itself (Criterion A1) and the response to the event (Criterion A2). Criterion B refers to symptoms of re-experiencing the trauma, criterion C refers to the avoidance of reminders and numbing of general responsiveness to the event and criterion D refers to symptoms persistent by increased hyper arousal. Criterion E involves symptoms being present for longer than 1 month, and criterion F involves disturbances that cause distress and impairment to areas of functioning (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 2000). It is classified as acute if symptoms last less than three months and if symptoms present beyond 3 mo... ... middle of paper ... ...ntary Medicine, vol. 14, no. 7, pp. 801-806. National Institute of Mental Health 2009, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), viewed 18 August 2011, . Nicholl, C & Thompson, A 2004, ‘The psychological treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in adult refugees: A review of the current state of psychological therapies’, Journal of Mental Health, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 351-362. Shives, L 2005, Basic Concepts of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia. Smith, M & Segal, J 2011, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), viewed 17 August 2011 . Tiziani, A 2009, Harvard’s Nursing Guide To Drugs, 8th edn, Elsevier, NSW.
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition, similar to an anxiety disorder, that is triggered by trauma and other extremely stressful circumstances. Throughout the book, Junger talks about PTSD in a wide range:from PTSD rates in natural disaster victims to PTSD rates in veterans. The latter is explained on a deeper perspective. While Junger gave many examples of why PTSD rates in America were so high, the most captivating was:
Rothe, Eugenio M. "A Psychotherapy Model For Treating Refugee Children Caught In The Midst Of Catastrophic Situations." Journal Of The American Academy Of Psychoanalysis & Dynamic Psychiatry 36.4 (2008): 625-642. Academic Search Premier. Web. 2 May 2014.
Boone, Katherine. "The Paradox of PTSD." Wilson Quarterly. 35.4 (2011): 18-22. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.
“Studies show that PTSD occurs in 1%-14% of the population. It can be diagnosed at any age, and can occ...
The current criteria for assessment of PTSD is only suitable if criterion A is met. Every symptom must be bound to the traumatic event through temporal and/or contextual evidence. The DSM-5 stipulates that to qualify, the symptoms must begin (criterion B or C) or worsen (symptom D and E) after the traumatic event. Even though symptoms must be linked to a traumatic event, this linking does not imply causality or etiology (Pai, 2017, p.4). The changes made with the DSM-5 included increasing the number of symptom groups from three to four and the number of symptoms from 17 to 20. The symptom groups are intrusion, avoidance, negative alterations in cognition and mood, and alterations in arousal and
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is defined by our book, Abnormal Psychology, as “an extreme response to a severe stressor, including increased anxiety, avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma, and symptoms of increased arousal.” In the diagnosis of PTSD, a person must have experienced an serious trauma; including “actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violation.” In the DSM-5, symptoms for PTSD are grouped in four categories. First being intrusively reexperiencing the traumatic event. The person may have recurring memories of the event and may be intensely upset by reminders of the event. Secondly, avoidance of stimuli associated with the event, either internally or externally. Third, signs of mood and cognitive change after the trauma. This includes blaming the self or others for the event and feeling detached from others. The last category is symptoms of increased arousal and reactivity. The person may experience self-destructive behavior and sleep disturbance. The person must have 1 symptom from the first category, 1 from the second, at least 2 from the third, and at least 2 from the fourth. The symptoms began or worsened after the trauma(s) and continued for at least one
There should therefore be emphasis placed on assessing the mental health of these kids because of the adverse experiences in their home countries and the distress experienced in an alien country or culture in which they find themselves. Weaver and Burns (2001) thus argue that social workers need a greater understanding of the impact of trauma to be effective with asylum seekers in general and UASC. However, many people who are exposed to traumatic experiences do not necessarily develop mental issues so social workers should be cautious about making assumptions as studies shows that most asylum seekers point to social and economic factors as important rather than psychological
These issues also include poverty and limited or no access to education, training, mental health and health care resources. Refugees also face persecution and are unable to return to their home in their native country (Villalba, 2009). Mental health counselors need to understand the impact of trauma on their refugee clientele, as they may include physical torture and mental abuse in nature. According to Sue and Sue (2013) counselors will need to address the most salient concerns of refugees, which include safety and loss. The possibility of being, or having been, mentally abused and physically tortured has an impact on their ability to stay in the hosting country. Counselors will be dealing with post-traumatic stress from their client. Equally important is for the counselor to assist the refugee in understanding issues of confidentiality. For Muslim immigrants and refugees, counselors should consider national policies during the counseling process. For example, the two Sudanese sisters’ were able to resolve their religious practice of wearing the hijab and securing employment in a beneficial way. As an advocate for the sisters and other Muslim refugees, it would be helpful to provide them access to resources that educate them in antidiscrimination policies that can protect them against hate crimes and legal resources that can help them seek asylum. In essence, culturally competent practices for counselors working with immigrants and refugees begin with understanding their worldviews, as well the national and international legal issues that confront their
Post-traumatic stress disorder is something that tons of people around the world struggle with daily. It is a disorder people battle from within that most people do not ever see or understand. It is referred to as the “invisible wound”. What is PTSD? What are the effects of PTSD? What are the treatment options for PTSD? The American Psychiatric Association first added PTSD to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1980. Before it was recognized as PTSD, it was called many different names such as “battle fatigue”, “shell shock”, and “war neurosis”. Even though there are treatment options available, there is millions of dollars going
Post-Traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops after a traumatic or life-threatening event such as war, assault, or disaster. In most cases refugees are exposed to and carry these experiences of hostility, violence, racism, discrimination, and isolation with them to their new environment (Kulwicki,A., & Ballout,S., 2008). The resettlement period for refugees is found to be extremely critical because it inflames existing symptoms of PTSD in addition to increasing them.
If an individual undergoes an event that may unsettle the manner in which they run their lives, this can result in a discomfort. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) may result due to a condition of continuous mental as well as emotional stress that may result from acute psychological shock. The study of the causes of PTSD has not been able to offer conclusive solutions due to the dynamic parameters involved. The discussion will focus on the causes of PTSD as well as the treatment and how it affects various sections of society.
Schiraldi, G. R. (2009). The post-traumatic stress disorder sourcebook: A guide to healing, recovery, and growth. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
After enduring countless issues and horrifying sights in war, those who survive may encounter long lasting effects due to their hardships. One common effect includes Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a mental health issue some develop “after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event” for example, combat (1). Often times PTSD can affect anyone, even children, but it is more commonly seen in those who have been in battle or sexually assaulted. War experiences and distress forever change a person, physically but also mentally, overall having a vast effect on their lives in the civil world.
PTSD is something that affects different people in different ways but it is universal that it affects people in negative ways. The trauma affects parts of the brain such as the hippocampus and amygdale which in turn affect neural development. Some of these effects may fade way in time while others remain for a life time. Due to the symptoms of the condition such as aloofness, anxiety, lack of appetite and mental illness among others development is affected. Social, physical, mental and spiritual developments are all affected as the victim is left in state of dire need which they do not how to satisfy (Goulston, 2011).
The risk for experience to trauma has been a source of psychological concern from the origins of time. In prehistoric ages, humans faced the potential of encountering dangerous predators while hunting with their community; while in today’s society dangerous animal predators are not the number one threat to humanity, other sources of potential trauma exists such as terrorist attacks, kidnappings, sudden deaths, and varying forms of abuse. The earliest accounts and studies of stress caused by traumatic events were related to wartime, and occurred leading up to the early 1950s. Prior to being termed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, the disorder was nicknamed “shell shock” from the horrific conditions of trench warfare during World War