Confronting posttraumatic stress disorder

Fagan, Nancy; Freme, Kathleen

doi:10.1097/00152193-200402000-00048

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…Misdiagnosis can have serious consequences for sexually abused children. Therefore, routine inquiry about traumatic experiences in children presenting with ADHD symptoms has been suggested to improve differential diagnosis (10). The present authors suggest this should be carefully considered for Icelandic boys.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…PTSD and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are the two most common diagnoses of children who have suffered CSA (8, 9). The highest risk of PTSD is because of sexual abuse, especially when it is experienced in childhood (10–12). PTSD can set in as a result of repeated psychological shock without any crisis counselling, when there is no admission of the event or events, or nobody who seems to listen and the individual feels repressed (11).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Deep and almost unbearable suffering: consequences of childhood sexual abuse for men’s health and well‐being

Sigurðardóttir

Halldórsdóttir

Bender

2012

Scandinavian Caring Sciences

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Previous studies indicate that childhood sexual abuse can have extensive and serious consequences. The aim of this research was to do a qualitative study of the consequences of childhood sexual abuse for Icelandic men's health and well-being. Phenomenology was the methodological approach of the study. Totally 14 interviews were conducted, two per individual, and analysed based on the Vancouver School of Phenomenology. The main results of the study showed that the men describe deep and almost unbearable suffering, affecting their entire life, of which there is no alleviation in sight. The men have lived in repressed silence most of their lives and have come close to taking their own lives. What stopped them from committing suicide was revealing to others what happened to them which set them free in a way. The men experienced fear- or rage-based shock at the time of the trauma and most of them endured the attack by dissociation, disconnecting psyche and body and have difficulties reconnecting. They had extremely difficult childhoods, living with indisposition, bullying, learning difficulties and behavioural problems. Some have, from a young age, numbed themselves with alcohol and elicit drugs. They have suffered psychologically and physically and have had relational and sexual intimacy problems. The consequences of the abuse surfaced either immediately after the shock or many years later and developed into complex post-traumatic stress disorder. Because of perceived societal prejudice, it was hard for the men to seek help. This shows the great need for professionals to be alert to the possible consequences of childhood sexual abuse in their practice to reverse the damaging consequences on their health and well-being. We conclude that living in repressed silence after a trauma, like childhood sexual abuse, can be dangerous for the health, well-being and indeed the very life of the survivor.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deep and almost unbearable suffering: consequences of childhood sexual abuse for men’s health and well‐being

Sigurðardóttir

Halldórsdóttir

Bender

2012

Scandinavian Caring Sciences

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“…It includes asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities, indecent exposure with intent to gratify the adult’s own sexual desires or to intimidate or groom the child, 1 physical sexual contact with a child, using a child to produce child pornography or exposing one’s genitals to children or pressuring them to expose themselves (2). Research results indicate that psychological trauma in childhood because of CSA can have widespread and serious consequences for health and well‐being (3, 4). The consequences of such trauma are great fear, helplessness and terror, and in all forms of violence, it seems that the damage is likely to have the deepest and most serious consequences when the perpetrator is a close friend or a relative (4).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Symptoms include re‐experiencing the original trauma(s) through flashbacks or nightmares, avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma and increased arousal – such as difficulty falling or staying asleep, anger and hypervigilance (7). PTSD is especially common after CSA (3, 8, 9); and PTSD and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were the most common symptoms experienced by children following CSA (10). However, not all those who suffer CSA develop PTSD or ADHD (10).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Repressed and silent suffering: consequences of childhood sexual abuse for women’s health and well‐being

Sigurðardóttir

Halldórsdóttir

2012

Scandinavian Caring Sciences

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Research results indicate that psychological trauma in childhood caused by child sexual abuse can have serious and widespread consequences for health and well-being. The purpose of this study was to examine the consequences of childhood sexual abuse for women's health and well-being. The research methodology was phenomenology. Seven women with a history of childhood sexual abuse were interviewed twice with 1-6 months interval. For all the women, the abuse started when they were between 4 and 5. All of them were repeatedly violated and traumatized ever since then and were even still being victimized at the time of the interviews. The main result of the study is that time does not heal all wounds. All the women described great repressed and silent suffering in all aspects of life, and the abuse is still seriously affecting them and their loved ones. As children, they had learning problems, experienced bullying and had unexplained physical symptoms. In adulthood, they have been suffering multiple physical and psychological symptoms: five of them have fibromyalgia; all of them have been suffering chronic and widespread pain; they have all been dealing with depression and difficulty with close connections, and they all have trouble trusting others. Because they were kids, they have been using the health service to a great extent but without adequate help. It is important for health professionals to know the symptoms and consequences of childhood sexual abuse to be able to respond to adult survivors in a supportive and caring way. More effective therapeutic measures have to be developed to decrease their suffering.

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Skill Set Requirements for Nurses Deployed with an Expeditionary Medical Unit Based on Lessons Learned

Whitcomb

Newell²

2008

Critical Care Nursing Clinics of North America

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Confronting posttraumatic stress disorder

Cited by 4 publications

References 1 publication

Deep and almost unbearable suffering: consequences of childhood sexual abuse for men’s health and well‐being

Deep and almost unbearable suffering: consequences of childhood sexual abuse for men’s health and well‐being

Repressed and silent suffering: consequences of childhood sexual abuse for women’s health and well‐being

Skill Set Requirements for Nurses Deployed with an Expeditionary Medical Unit Based on Lessons Learned

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