Post-trauma Stress: Reduce Long-term Effects And Hidden Emotional Damage Caused By Violence And Disaster [Paperback]

Frank Parkinson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 22, 2000

For survivors of physical and emotional violence, advice from professionals on how to reduce the far-reaching effects of post-traumatic stress.

Editorial Reviews

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

WHAT IS POST-TRAUMA STRESS? Post-trauma stress is the development of certain symptoms or reactions following an abnormal event. The event is abnormal in that it is life threatening or extremely disturbing, and can be anything from a minor accident to a major disaster. This includes incidents such as a divorce, riots, war, bereavement or any event that causes trauma and shock. This trauma disturbs our normal life beliefs and turns our world upside down, causing confusion, disbelief, feelings of vulnerability, a loss of meaning and purpose in life, and changes in self-image or self-esteem.

It would not be correct to assume that the symptoms are only found after the event, because they can arise earlier. Seeds of the symptoms of post-trauma stress lie not only in the nature of the event itself, but also in the lives of those who experience it.

Post-trauma stress can result from any experience that, for me, is not normal. Because it is not normal it can cause traumatic reactions. The experience should not be seen as an isolated event but rather as an ongoing situation. I bring myself-my character and personality and previous experiences-to the event. All of these, including the nature of the event, will determine how I react both at the time and later.

A man walking down a street in front of a group of apartments was hit on the head by a falling plant pot. This abnormal and unusual event shocked and traumatized the man. Later, he suffered from agoraphobia (fear of open spaces) and the fear that the same thing might happen again if he went out into the street.

Perhaps a trivial accident, it nevertheless caused emotional disturbances as well as physical pain, both at the time and later. We look at the characteristic symptoms of post-trauma stress in more detail in the next chapter.

Copyright © 2000 Fisher Books. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press; Revised edition (February 22, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1555612490
• ISBN-13: 978-1555612498
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #714,497 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent, May 7, 2003

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This review is from: Post-trauma Stress: Reduce Long-term Effects And Hidden Emotional Damage Caused By Violence And Disaster (Paperback)

for anyone who's ever lived through a life changing trauma, or who cares to help others who have, this is a compassionate and sensible book to guide you.
If you've ever lived through an emotional stoning by those judgmentalists who validate their own exsistance at the expense of others, this book will help you understand the processing of emotions you may experience.