Case Study
Susan is a single girl aged 25 years. Since the account of the incidence, almost a month, she lost interest in work and concentration on activities relating to work at her place of work. She likes staying home since; home environment provides her with the comfort and security she needs. She viewed that if she continued to work, the same incident will happen in her life again, even though she believed it was impossible.
Susan does not like watching TV during her free time, but she likes working in her garden and hanging on the internet to pass time alone. Consequently, Susan has been experiencing hardship in sleeping for several weeks, and when she does sleep, she encounters horrible dream, which makes her wake up sweating. Support for Susan has been facilitated by her supportive parents; however, she has secluded herself from her friends making her spend most of her time “in the house”. Consequently, Susan’s mood differs, sometimes she can feel dead inside, feels not hurting her and she does not need much to eat.
Post-traumatic Stress disorder Symptoms, PTSD
People often experience PTSD after a traumatic event that leaves them with fear and helplessness. It affects individuals who personally experience the catastrophe. The traumatic events that hint to post-traumatic stress disorder are compelling and frightening. When person nous of safety and hope are exhausted, it is common for such kind of person to feel detached, traumatized, in other occasions, a person may feel crazy. Moreover, it is also common to experience horrible dreams for a prolonged time after trauma. The abnormal reactions to fear triggering events eventually fade with time depending on the magnitude of the trauma.
Re-experiencing Symptoms
Susan, experiences; horrible dreams, which makes her wake up while sweating, frightening thoughts, and flashbacks. These symptoms deny her sleep besides influencing her daily life. Weaver et al. referred to these kinds of symptoms as re-experiencing, which causes a problem in an individual every-day (2007). The re-examining symptoms cause problems to an individual affecting his or daily life, hence, objects, situations or words act as reminders triggering these symptoms
According to Weaver et al. (2007), in a post- traumatic experience, an individual life tends to return to normal. Hence experiences such as feeling frightened, anxious, sad and detached begin to get stabilized in an individual life. However, with time, the upsets subsides and a person starts to recognize the importance of life. Weaver et al. explores that, in some occasions, the trauma a person experiences can be overwhelming, thus restricting flexibility of a person (2007). Such a person keeps remembering the painful memories that resulted from the event that instilled the fear.
Susan’s experience can be connected to the aforementioned discussion. Since the incident occurred in her life, she did not have interest going to work. Though, she knew that the event is unlikely to recur. Thus, to ensure her comfort was guaranteed, she viewed home as a place where her comfort, security and freedom was achieved.
Hyperarousal Symptoms
According to Newman (2004) if a person undergoes a traumatic experience and is experiencing difficulties adapting to normal or regular life, reconnecting with others and feeling safe again, it might be an indication of post-traumatic stress disorder. Susan’s situation and experience form a basis of what Newman (2004) asserts. Susan shows avoidance behavior. She used to be outgoing but presently, she stays in the house and avoids situations which provide opportunities for interaction with friends. Secondly, Susan has lost interest in her work; she stays at home where the environment for her is comfortable. Hence these activities, which have been linked to Susan traumatic experience hence, are causing her to alter her personal habits.
According to Cason et al. (2001) these symptoms, which are termed as hyperarousal, happens regularly rather than being triggered by instances that remind a person of the traumatic event. Memories of the event alter the moods, behavior and habits of the individual.
References List
Cason, D. R., Resick, P. A., & Weaver, T. L. (2001). Integrating Traumatic Events: Three Views of Schematic Processing. Clinical Psychology Review, (22), 1, pp. 131-153.
Newman, M. (2004). Helping Children Cope with Disasters and Terrorism. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry & Allied Disciplines (45), 1, p. 172.
Weaver, T. L, Turner, P., Thayer, C., Schwarze, N., & Sand, S. (2007). Psychological Meanings of Residual Injuries. Women and Health: A Multidisciplinary Journal of Women’s Health Issues, (45), pp. 85-102.