2024 Author: Harry Day | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 15:43
There are at least three reasons why people suffering from the consequences of a traumatic situation do not seek professional help in time:
painful memories
fear of abnormality
disbelief in the possibility of recovery
First reason dictated by the symptoms of PTSD itself - it is a steady withdrawal from what is reminiscent of a traumatic event. Referral to a specialist is discarded, because it means the need to talk and remember about the traumatic event, tell about it in detail and share your own experiences.
The second reason is related to the attitude towards symptoms and oneself. Often people perceive their symptoms as threatening and painful, and themselves - as "abnormal", "crazy", "sick in the head." And turning to specialized help means for them to admit their "abnormality" and, even more unpleasant, to show it to others.
Third reason may be the result of mistrust of specialists. Mistrust can be based on personal experiences or stories of others who have faced incompetence in psychologists or doctors. A person does not believe that in the area of his access there are specialists who can help professionally, and therefore does not seek help from specialists, but resorts to self-medication or the services of dubious specialists, such as shamans or psychics.
Refusal of professional help and the desire to cope with the problem on their own often not only does not help, but on the contrary - leads to the development of harmful strategies (social isolation, substance abuse) and increased symptoms. What a person ran away from overtakes him and grows: painful memories, thoughts, nightmares, a feeling of his own abnormality.
That is why you should not support your loved ones who have undergone a traumatic event in their refusal to receive professional help. On the contrary, they should be encouraged and supported in their decision to turn to specialists.
In some cases, loved ones can help when they independently raise their awareness of the trauma and its overcoming. In the future, it is easier for well-informed people to argue for the need to seek specialized help and to maintain motivation in a loved one suffering from PTSD symptoms.
What can be done to help a loved one with PTSD seek specialized help
- Provide information on the reaction of the human psyche to trauma.
- To focus on the high probability of recovery; give information materials.
- Offer to analyze how the current state is adaptive for life and favorable for life success.
- Find and provide arguments "for" and "against" regarding seeking professional help.
- Emphasize the possibility of changes in health, performance, relationships with people.
- Emphasize the ability to refuse the services of a specialist and return to the usual state.
- Discuss concerns about seeking professional help. Find ways to overcome them together.
- Provide examples of people who have recovered from traumatic experiences.
- Engage in communication with people who sought professional help and started on the path of recovery, were able to get rid of symptoms and recover.
- Offer to start cooperation with specialists from telephone consultation services, e-mails or in the format of questions and answers on special forums.
- Find the indicated opportunities, establish communication with a specialist, independently (but always with permission from a loved one) write the first appeal.
- Offer participation in a joint (family) consultation with a specialist, inform about the readiness for support and the provision of only that information that the person is willing to share himself.
- Offer to participate in support groups for survivors of the traumatic event. Emphasize that such groups provide an opportunity to look at others, without risking themselves, and to find out how they overcome their difficulties.
Seeking professional help is often the best solution and a good chance of recovery. Already the first meetings with a qualified specialist are a motivating factor, since there is a holistic picture of the situation and the possibility of overcoming it, faith in recovery arises, and painful symptoms are mitigated.
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