Who is affected?
Being a victim of or a witness to a traumatic event does not necessarily imply that a PTSD will immediately strike. It is difficult to predict who will be affected. Some people may be exposed to horrific events several times and never suffer from PTSD, while others will be exposed only once and a PTSD will occur. Symptoms may also appear many years after the event, either because a person experiences a new event that reminds him of the first one, or he is quite simply more vulnerable, or again because he hears talk of a similar situation. The PTSD may thus remain latent and not manifest itself for many years, only to appear later in a context apparently unrelated to the earlier event.
It is not known with certainty through which mechanisms the PTSD is produced in one person and not another. Several theories and hypotheses can be found in specialized publications. It is not just the nature of the event that determines the intensity of the reaction; rather, it is the threat to the person’s integrity and his subjective interpretation of the event. It is thought that the unpredictable and uncontrollable nature of the event may also have a role to play in the appearance of the PTSD.
Watching catastrophes on TV or hearing people on the radio talking about being raped, for example, should not normally trigger a PTSD, except if the listener has earlier experienced similar traumatic events and tried with great effort to forget them.
That is why it is important to remember that we are all susceptible to PTSD and that it is better to talk about the event than to try to forget it. It is also important to know that children can also be affected by PSTD. Their stress is generally reflected in certain repetitive games as well as in their dreams, which may incorporate elements of trauma. These games and dreams are normal and gradually dissipate. Patience and tolerance is needed with those who are suffering and they should be encouraged to consult health professionals if the symptoms persist or are detrimental to their daily functioning.
It is not known with certainty through which mechanisms the PTSD is produced in one person and not another. Several theories and hypotheses can be found in specialized publications. It is not just the nature of the event that determines the intensity of the reaction; rather, it is the threat to the person’s integrity and his subjective interpretation of the event. It is thought that the unpredictable and uncontrollable nature of the event may also have a role to play in the appearance of the PTSD.
Watching catastrophes on TV or hearing people on the radio talking about being raped, for example, should not normally trigger a PTSD, except if the listener has earlier experienced similar traumatic events and tried with great effort to forget them.
That is why it is important to remember that we are all susceptible to PTSD and that it is better to talk about the event than to try to forget it. It is also important to know that children can also be affected by PSTD. Their stress is generally reflected in certain repetitive games as well as in their dreams, which may incorporate elements of trauma. These games and dreams are normal and gradually dissipate. Patience and tolerance is needed with those who are suffering and they should be encouraged to consult health professionals if the symptoms persist or are detrimental to their daily functioning.