Managing P.T.S.S.

P.T.S.S., i.e. post traumatic stress syndrome is the constellation of symptoms and signs which appear after an individual has experienced or witnessed a major disaster which is beyond human imagination. Survivors of earthquakes, major floods, fires or other major accidents, riots, wars and genocides, all fall in this category. Once a renowned geophysicist had commented after a major earth quake that following such a tragedy, there are usually 3 types of people, one who have actually suffered physical losses and loss of family members. Another is, the ones who are dislocated and or put to extra work during or after the tragedy, for example relief workers after an earthquake or police personnel during riots e.t.c. Third category is of persons who are not affected directly but have witnessed the tragedy at moment of its occurrence or in immediate aftermath. But it is a once in a life time shocking experience for them. All 3 categories of persons can suffer from P.T.S.S. in variable amount. There are strong minded people who can get over their loss and carry on with their lives after such a tragedy. But majority of persons give in hopelessly to the situation. They suffer from frequent night mares, sweating, trembling, palpitations, e.t.c. features of anxiety. Others can suffer from intermittent or chronic depression. Refusing to talk, refusing to eat, disturbed sleep, sitting solitary for long hours, affected persons manifest these signs of depression in more or less amount. PTSS not only affects individuals it also affects institutions and community. In whichever place any such disaster happens, there is loss of working hands due to deaths. If survivors develop PTSS, both quantity and quality of work is impaired, upsetting productivity. Therefore it is important to take up measures to combat PTSS in suffering individuals. Group counseling is very useful to help the affected individuals get rid of depression to some extent. Those affected, should be made to be together for some time and exchange their tragic experiences. When people realize that they are not alone to be suffering but there are many others like them, their own burden of grief diminishes. They also come to know that there may be persons worse affected than them. Individual counseling is needed after group sessions. Each individual needs to be counseled with regards to his circumstances and mental makeup. All these individuals should be made to understand that whatever happened is past now and they have to pull on with life usefully. Counseling should not be like preaching in any way. People should find it engrossing and soothing enough to heed to. Vocational rehabilitation is another important measure which helps people overcome PTSS. When a person is physically and mentally occupied, he finds less time to brood over his personal grief. Many individuals start taking alcohol and other addicting substances to get over depression or anxiety associated with PTSS. Little do they realize that in bid to conquer PTSS they are inviting more serious troubles for the body and mind. Drugs like sedatives and tranquilizers can be used to tide over, if a person is severely sick. But long term use of these drugs is not good. Sedatives like diazepam cause habituation and addiction. Tranquilizers can cause addiction as well as other adverse effects on the body. Dyskinesias (stiffness and abnormal posture of face or any limb) caused by these drugs is very frightening. Diagnosis of PTSS is established by excluding all other causes like infection, tumor e.t.c. for such features by suitable tests. An individual needs very regular follow up and repeated counseling for good improvement and prevention of relapse of symptoms. Close watch is needed over persons with extreme depression and suicidal tendency, so that they do not attempt suicide under influence of grief and shock.Different individuals respond in different degrees to these measures. For complete recovery a good team work is needed between the counselor, doctor, caretaker and the individual himself. It takes variable amount of time, but result of successful therapy is that the affected person starts leading a normal or near normal life again. That should be the aim while dealing with cases of PTSS. E-mail – rachna212002@yahoo.co.uk