The world is experiencing mass trauma from COVID-19: what you can do

It is not uncommon to neglect the traumatic nature of today’s global pandemics. After all, the word “trauma” has historically been associated with violent experiences.

But you do not have to experience violence to experience trauma.

“Generally, PTSD trauma is defined as being exposed to traumatic events such as sexual assault, war, car accidents, and child abuse.” Psychiatrist Dr. Julian Lagoi Told Healthline. “But the current COVID-19 pandemic has the perceived quality of a traumatic experience because it costs many people both physical and emotional.”

According to Lagoy, one of the major indicators of PTSD trauma is seeing the world as a dangerous place. And the current pandemic is causing that fear in most of the population.

“During this pandemic, some people feel alert and dangerous, develop negative thoughts and feelings, and have problems with sleep and concentration-there are symptoms of PTSD trauma,” Lagoy said. ..

Recent research COVID-19 indicates that health care workers have increased levels of trauma.

Also, while there are no data on trauma outside the medical setting yet, anecdotal reports suggest that both children and adults are experiencing significant trauma.

Katie LearLCMHC is a licensed pediatric therapist specializing in childhood trauma and anxiety.

“Whenever a child feels very unsafe, out of control, or at risk of serious injury, illness, or death, that experience can be traumatic to the child.”

“Interestingly, children who witness their parents’ life-threatening or dangerous experiences are as deeply affected as they were directly,” she said.

She felt that many of us, including children, were completely out of control because of the pandemic.

And the loss of everyday life, the turmoil of schools and family gatherings, the inability to interact with our loved ones as they once did, all of which are not only disorienting children, but even dangerous. There may be.

Due to the ongoing nature of the pandemic, Lagoy doesn’t currently have the data needed to find out how many people are experiencing trauma.

“We have the data that children with a basic mental health or history of childhood abuse are more likely to develop PTSD trauma symptoms that increase the risk of suicide and intentional self-harm. He said.

He explains that the same can be said for adults.

Leah says about one-third of the children she works with appear to be traumatizing the event.

“Children who watch the news a lot seem to show more symptoms, probably because of repeated exposure to traumatic material on TV and online,” she explained.

For adults, she speculates that more people are experiencing a pandemic as a traumatic event as a result of their increased ability to understand death and the potential risks associated with COVID-19. say.

“Even if an adult is not personally affected by a pandemic, simply looking at the suffering of another person can develop compensatory trauma,” Lear said.

Lagoy says trauma is not a short-term concern, but “there are many long-term consequences.”

According to Lagoy, the risks of untreated and untreated trauma include:

• Poor health
• High risk of suicide or self-harm
• High risk of drug use

“There are even studies showing physical changes in the brain (increased amygdala size) in people suffering from PTSD and untreated trauma,” Lagoy said.

Indeed, trauma found To have a lasting impact on the people who experience it-so it is very important to acknowledge and deal with those experiences.

“Pandemic traumatized children and adults may suffer from flashbacks, depression, and frustration,” Leah explained. “If one does not work through the traumatic experience, these symptoms can be debilitating.”