A range of traumatic reactions to multiple and ongoing acts of violence characterizes complex traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Symptoms of the illness include difficulties in interpersonal relationships, trust, emotion control, identity formation, and attention and concentration. The ability to recognize and cope with complicated trauma is gaining importance today. Three important implications of complex trauma discovered during the last week will be the focus of this paper. This essay will emphasize three major key lessons taught, which will address trauma, its effects and consequences faced by its victims’ The paper will narrow down to discuss the shortcomings and positive impacts of effects of trauma diagnoses and possible solutions to cope with the problem.
Takeaway Point 1:Negative Impacts on Cognitive, Social, And Adaptive Functioning
Victims of complex trauma have impaired cognitive, social, and adaptive functioning. Here are several effects of trauma or disaster than acute symptoms. Fear, wrath, and disorganization may result from trauma-induced coping changes. Traumatized persons may have elevated emotions and characteristic actions. Physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual reactions exist. Different people recover and deal differently. There are various ways to handle difficult situations (Loomis & Felt, 2021). These include routines, exercise, and talking to family, friends, or specialists.
Secondary symptoms follow shock or catastrophe. Trauma may modify fear, wrath, and disorder coping systems.
The effects may impair everyday living, particularly social connections. Disasters may alter religious and social customs. Injury severity may affect employment and productivity indirectly (Bauer, 2020). Human care providers may avoid trauma by understanding subsequent cognitive, social, and adaptive effects.
Take Point 2:The Impairments in Cognitive Processing, Affective Regulation, And Behavioral Control.
Multiple interpersonal risks, including recurrent abuse, may create complex trauma in children and adolescents. Complex experiences may worsen psychopathology and cognition. Most empirical research uses diagnostic or convenience samples and is cross-sectional. Complex trauma may affect thinking, feeling, and acting. Cognitive operations encompass perception, conceptualization, and comprehension (Bauer, 2020). Trauma may impair recall, concentration, and executive function. It might be hard to concentrate and organize. Negative self-views and worldviews may cloud thinking.
Deficiencies in affective modulation alter feelings. Some severe trauma survivors react unexpectedly due to emotional concerns. An inadequate sense of emotion and expression may lead to loneliness. For emotional control, this group may utilize narcotics or self-harm. Challenges with controlling behaviour include action management (Ventriglio et.al, n.d). Complex trauma may decrease impulse control and self-harm.
The environment might hamper self-care, relationships, and limitations. Problems may worsen concurrently. Cognitive processing impairments may impede the control of behaviours and managing emotions, whereas emotional regulation disorders can affect clarity and decision-making. Behavior problems may cause mental and emotional stress (Champine et.al, 2018).
Takeaway Point 3: Comprehensive Treatment and Intervention
Complex trauma is typically treated with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Therapy identifies, understands, and changes cognitive processes connected with a behavioural pattern. The victimized are supposed to involve themselves in leisure activities as a way of helping them cope with their condition. Present Centered Therapy (PCT) does not focus on trauma recovery. Instead of acknowledging the trauma, the method addresses current issues. Psychoeducation helps people understand trauma’s psychological effects and how they may affect their lives (Luskin et.al, n.d). Additionally, this method teaches problem-solving abilities that may be applied to manage various life challenges.
Application in Human Service Context
The knowledge acquired during this week’s instructional sessions has relevance within the realm of human experiences, particularly in prisons and interrogation settings. In these contexts, individuals who have had trauma and are in the process of healing or coping might benefit from using potential treatments aimed at aiding their recovery and facilitating their survival (Bauer, 2020).
Situational Example
Having been informed by my high school friend’s parents that they have reservations about her experiencing trauma due to the emotional distress caused by the tragic news of her sister’s passing, this scenario aligns with the principles of complex trauma that we have studied in our course materials. The cognitive functioning of the teenage girl had notable inadequacies, often manifesting in challenges related to memory retention. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of trauma helped my ability to assist her in effectively managing her circumstances.
Unanswered Questions
One unanswered issue that I have pertains to the existence of Evidence-Based Procedures in Clinical Settings for addressing complex trauma. I want to do a literature review to get knowledge about the evidence-based practices in this area.
Video Summary
Somatic Experiencing (SE) is an alternative treatment used to treat trauma and stress-related diseases like PTSD. I just viewed a video in which Monica LeSage discusses her own experiences with SE as part of her trauma-healing process. Bottom-up processing is the focus of SE, which aims to change the stress response after trauma. In her TED presentation, Monica LeSage repeatedly highlighted the benefits of se and the others who have used the approach.
Positive change
Based on my acquired knowledge, I would recommend prompt implementation of efficacious treatments aimed at combating trauma to ensure the well-being of society.
In conclusion, the lessons on complex trauma have helped explore a variety of impacts that trauma has integrated into the community and at a personal level. Some of the adverse effects related to trauma learned from this week’s lessons were cognitive, emotional, and social functioning. The classes provide instruction on a range of treatments and implications that may be used to manage the comprehensive and detrimental consequences of trauma effectively. The act of embracing trauma resolution techniques, such as SE, strengthens our cognitive understanding and capacity to combat the effects of trauma effectively.
References
TedTalk: Does Somatic Experiencing (SE) Work? SE practices for healing | Monica LeSage
Luskin, B., LP, D. H., Martindale, J., Brown, H., Vorlicky, K., Cich, J., … & Eckberg, D. A. Suicide Risk in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Exploratory Discussion.
Champine, R. B., Matlin, S., Strambler, M. J., & Tebes, J. K. (2018). Trauma-informed family practices: Toward integrated and evidence-based approaches. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 27, 2732-2743.
Bauer, L., 2020. The COVID-19 crisis has already left too many children hungry in
America [WWW Document]. Brookings URL. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-
front/2020/05/06/the-covid-19-crisis-has-already-left-too-many-children-hungry-in-
america/ (accessed 5.15.20).
Editors:, Ventriglio, D. M. B. T., Eric TaylorFrank VerhulstJohn Chee Meng WongKeiko Yoshida, Chaturvedi, S. K., Prabha S. ChandraHelen HerrmanJane FisherAnita Riecher-Rössler, & Pi, M. H. M. H. C.-H. (n.d.). Mental health and illness worldwide. Springer. https://www.springer.com/series/14178
Loomis, A. M., & Felt, F. (2021). Knowledge, skills, and self-reflection: Linking trauma training content to trauma-informed attitudes and stress in preschool teachers and staff. School mental health, 13(1), 101-113.
write