World Trauma Day 2022

World Trauma Day is observed on October 17 each year with an emphasis on saving lives and how to properly attend to emergency cases. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), trauma is a major cause of death and disability across the world. Did you know that traumatic injuries have caused more deaths to people below the age of 45 than malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis? Furthermore, over 9% of deaths around the world are caused by traumatic injuries. World Trauma Day observations seek to lower these rates.

Commemoration of World Trauma Day emphasises the importance of saving and protecting a life during the most critical moments and preparing and applying critical measures to deal with and avoid trauma fatalities, to create increased awareness about trauma and to educate the public on ways to address traumatic incidents and deaths.

What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Also called “shell shock”, battle figure and accident neurosis, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is often misunderstood and misdiagnosed, even though the condition presents with very specific symptoms that comprise a definite psychiatric disorder.

A diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is made when the symptoms cause distress and interference in daily life. PTSD is a debilitating condition which follows a traumatic event. Often, people with PTSD are plagued by persistent frightening memories of the traumatic event which set off the condition and feel emotionally numbed by the ordeal.

This disorder was first brought to the public attention by war veterans following the Korean and Vietnam war, but can result from any number of traumatic incidents, including natural disasters, car accidents, hijackings, domestic violence or violent attacks. The disease can be triggered not only by the experiencing of a traumatic event, but also through the witnessing of a traumatic event.

Trauma exposure is common throughout the world, unequally distributed and differential across trauma types with respect to PTSD risk. Although a substantial minority of PTSD cases remits within months after onset, mean symptom duration is considerably longer than previously recognised.

How to deal with trauma and handle the crisis:

Pay attention to what’s important

When handling the repercussion of any crisis, it is vital to focus on your resources.

Find support

Get support from your loved ones so that you can minimise the load by getting help with a routine, your activities, or lending a supportive ear.

 Beat the stress

When you face a crisis your body’s stimuli to stress gets triggered immensely and keep you in a state of constant stress.

Be patient

People always assume that when dealing with a crisis or trauma that their negative emotions are a sign of weakness or not dealing with things in the right way.

Seek professional help when needed

If all these ways are not effective in handling the crisis and you still have nightmares, flashbacks and negative feelings and unable to move on with life after several weeks or months after the trauma then you may need professional support and counselling to deal with the situation.

Focus on self-care

While traumatic events are indeed stressful for the affected individual as well as the people close to them, it is important to remind oneself that the current challenging situation is just a phase in life that will eventually pass.

Getting Help

Going through PTSD can be quite tricky. You may not find it easy to follow any specific guidelines or rules. Talking to people, staying away from alcohol or drugs may not be easy. Fortunately, some PTSD treatments can make a big difference. If you are having trouble overcoming PTSD, you can reach out to our licensed counsellors. We have quality counselling services available to help you go through life challenges.

Our diverse team of Counsellors offer knowledge and support for those experiencing PTSD.

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