Research Trauma Research- Invitation To Take Part

[Sunrise]

Hi all.
Here's where I stick my neck out. Anthony or someone else may jump all over me for this...
I might get howled down, but I do not like the fact that they ask about specifics of incidents. I don't think anyone has the right to stir up a person's incidents outside of a session where the resultant re-stimulation is not going to be professionally handled.

Take a hundred people. They will have say, from one to 100 traumatic events - from infancy, young childhood, teenage years, adult ones of assault, abuse or from a battleground or many. Every incident is unique, different content, different somatics, different length, different circumstances, different background experience, different state of mind at the time (strong, vulnerable, healthy, sick) and you've got symptoms being generated from these, maybe hyper vigilance from this one or half a dozen, nightmares are usually replaying another particular one and so on.

Yet, they are all the same: all contain physical and/or emotional pain, unresolved, painful, wretchedly bloody horrible. And in my opinion, nobody's business outside of a professional session. It is this preoccupation with the details of the content of the traumas and the differences that takes our attention away from their common ground, the fact that they hurt, they did damage and they happened. It would be like treating sunstroke by asking endless questions about the angle of the sun, time of day, surrounding features, what you were wearing,who you were with an what you thinking about... Sorry guys, I think they are floundering and clutching at straws. The answers to how to treat traumas has never been found IN the traumas and never will. Techniques and modalities will be anything from unhelpful to very helpful. Lets test 'em and give them an honest go, but rummaging around in a million significances will lead nowhere and only succeed in causing upset with no therapeutic (or research) gain. : O )

 

[mamachick]

Sunshine,
I did not take the survey and it was closed so I can't see the questions. However, I agree with what you are saying The answer to how to treat the trauma's are not found in the circumstances.

I don't know the purpose of this trauma survey or others that have been conducted. I can certainly see the purpose and for many questions but not some of the specifics that you are speaking of. Also, I don't know that it is a good idea for sufferers to take the survey unless they are at a stable point-particularly with these kind of questions.

Studies make it possible to differentiate some of the specifics of ptsd, such as pre-disposing factors, catagories, groups of features, and so forth. Do you think some of the questions such as "what were you wearing" is geared toward answering if they remember such details and is one possible answer "dont know". The mind is amazing at what it remembers and what it does not. I suppose some of the details might help in the diagnosis.

Ruminating about the circumstances actually make things worse. Often domestic violence shelters have open support groups run by untrained people. Members will tell their stories repeatedly and share details and circumstances of the injustices. When this is permitted, it can lead to further anger, feelings of helplessness, and self destructive behavior. It is much more productive to have some structure and address/educate on issues related to the abuse, such as alcohol/drug abuse, self esteem, healthy relationships, addressing anger, communication styles, parenting, etc.

 

[Sunrise]

Hey 17, ( can't bring myself to call you brat and i know you're not one)
You and i are on the same page totally! Love that word ruminating.
I didn't take the survey.
I only know what is in there by what the folks above are saying. I have very strong ideas about this.

The power of the therapist to do big things in the therapy room only comes about by combining forces with the Client. That is when that magical dynamic springs forth as if there was a third force at play. But normally, the Client can do little o thier own and can even make things worse. The sufferer on her own, diarising and endlessly looking for answers in the trauma - including doing these surveys where they ask you for details of the incidents - i don't believe should happen. If spite of that I do believe, the traumas can be safely faced in the right circumstances but done properly will only have to be unearthed once.

Often domestic violence shelters have open support groups run by untrained people.

Nuts!

Stay cool : O )