engleski

Therapeutic approach to disorders caused by psychotrauma

Because trauma affects every aspect of the human functioning, from biological to social, the treatment has to be comprehensive. Recovery and healing process unfold three stages. Task of the first stage is to establish safety. Second stage consist of remembrance and mourning, while third stage is made up of reconnection with the ordinary life. Our experiences in working with war veterans demonstrate that in the majority cases they are still within the first development period, i.e. within the phase of estabilishing the sense of safety towards ones own body as well as towards the surrounding. Part of the cases is situated within the second phase, marked by individuals capacity to work upon traumatic story and create an attitude towards it. Therefore, when psychotraumatised person first comes in, seeking for help, it is indispensable to ascertain correctly phase the patients being in as well to determine the most adequate therapeutical plan. By adequate diagnosing and including the patient in the healing process we achieve two goals. First, we don't leave patient in the passively receptive dependency state and second, we place him in position of the responsible individual in charge of this own destiny. Therapeutic approach is not based only upon symptomatic pharmacotherapy, which we find necessary because of the tranquilising of the symptoms, but we also hold that is necessary to work upon overcoming communication difficulties caused by symptoms of the pathological reaction to trauma. This is presented in table so achivements of therapeutic process can be clearly followed. Our therapeutic aim is not only to operate upon physical symptoms but also to try to bridge over communication ruptures found in family circle, and bring patients back into community. Reaching the third stage of healing and recovery is marked by increasing emphatic capacitiy and capacity for restraining aggression, by establishing of the basic confidence towards human race as well as by renewed integration and building the new self. In this manner we desire prevent consequences of traumatic experiences upon the next generations.

war veteran; psychotrauma; group psychotherapy; therapy

nije evidentirano