Post-traumatic stress in the coronavirus pandemic crisis

The current emergency situation due to the coronavirus speaks in our own flesh. There are those who are at the foot of the canyon trying to save the situation (health workers, supermarket workers, food producers, transporters, security forces ...) and there are those who are waiting, trying to avoid worsening the situation by staying at home, (in this case, all the rest).

It is clear that this problem does not leave anyone indifferent. In addition to the stress experienced at home and in the workplace, there is the uncertainty. "What will become of us when this is over?" Questions that almost all of us ask ourselves, and who does not ask them, will. This is where we consider that the third line of coping comes in (first the health, second the economic): the psychological battle not to lose our temper, maintain our emotional balance and give each other hope others.

Currently the people who call us do so due to personal crises they are experiencing, whether they are anxiety attacks, uncontrolled obsessive thoughts, feelings of paranoia, conflicts in coexistence... it is In other words, the demand is not due to problems that have dragged on for a long time, but rather problems that are awakening now, during the quarantine.

In this line of coping we have to do resistance work, endure in our trenches and if possible, not prick ourselves. In other words, it is important prevent the appearance of mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, or what we want to discuss in this article, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

• Related article: "What is trauma and how does it influence our lives?"

Posttraumatic stress

Post-traumatic stress syndrome, defined in a more technical way, “is characterized by the re-experiencing of highly traumatic events, symptoms due to increased activation (arousal) and avoidance behavior of trauma-related stimuli… ”(F43.1 in the manual DSM-V).

In other words, the traumatic event is lived as if it had not yet been left behind and was invading the present; the body is activated as if it were re-dealing with the event over and over again, prompting the brain to try to run away from everything reminiscent of this trauma.

Obviously, this is a problem that we will not encounter during the crisis, but will come a posteriori, since, in order for it to occur, we must live the first overwhelming experimentation in which our physical or emotional integrity is seriously in danger. That is why we think that it is very important to prevent it.

When we talk about the threat to our physical or emotional integrity, we do not individualize the effects, but rather We emphasize the importance of others in this vital shock. It is proven that the worst traumas are not those experienced in accidents or natural disasters, but those experienced in relation to other human beings.

If we engrave in our brain that the threat is our own species, it is like learning that there is no safe place or refuge in the world. There the phrase "Lupus est homo homini, non homo, quom qualis sit non novit" makes sense. Man is a wolf to man, when he does not recognize who the other is.

Criteria for establishing the risk of post-traumatic syndrome

To talk about people vulnerable to developing PTSD, we want to point out the criteria that we follow.

The level of psychological resilience of each person

This factor will play an important role in these events. Be creative in the face of adverse circumstances, know how to express unpleasant feelings and ask for help, recognize the context that is experienced so as not to personalize any reaction from others, knowing how to live in the present and not anticipating an uncertain future... these are qualities that help to not lose the feeling of control and, therefore, to mitigate anxiety so that it does not become stress or suffering unbearable.

The social support network

According to resilience, it has the same relevance. In the face of adversities that overwhelm us, having people who listen to us and understand us will attenuate that feeling of helplessness that is intensely recorded in post-traumatic stress problems. If you are alone or have a poor support network, please be careful and seek outside help if you need it.

Who are most vulnerable to developing it?

We'll see now who are the people who are most vulnerable to this post-traumatic stress syndrome in the quarantine situation, to later give some recommendations to help alleviate its effects.

1. Health personnel

Due to the saturation of work, the lack of resources and the experience of deaths with total helplessness.

2. Sick people isolated in hospitals by contagion

By losing human contact long enough to experience it as abandonment, living the suffering as unbearable.

3. Women and children victims of abuse

Since in the face of confinement measures, they will be forced (in part, by institutional order) to live with those who harm them, irremediably. Once again, the feeling of social helplessness repeats itself.

4. People with a history of mental disorders or with high sensitivity

Their limit to withstand this situation is lower and it makes them feel overwhelmed sooner.

5. Self-employed or entrepreneurs whose businesses are at serious risk

They see their future and that of their family dangerously threatened, in addition to having insufficient support in the face of the circumstances.

6. People with sick or elderly relatives, as well as caregivers or volunteers

As mentioned above, those who call us today do so with immense fear. Living with constant worry and fear ends up weakening the defensesAnd if we add this to the impotence due to the loss of a loved one, the possibility of developing a disorder, in addition to experiencing a complex grief, grows considerably.

Recommendations to prevent it

From what has been said, if the situation overflows, we panic, we lose someone, we do not know what to do and we perceive helplessness on the part of others, enough ingredients are mixed to develop PTSD.

Here are some tips to keep in mind to prevent this problem, although you may have already guessed some of them from the rest of the text. As you well know, although we professionals know how to treat this psychological disorder, it is still closely related to the social environment; For that reason, you can always contribute your bit as part of that network of care.

1. Pay attention to your emotions

You will live, if it has not already happened, feelings that bother and overwhelm. These emotions are manifested both in the thought, as in the body and in the way of acting, that is why it is very important not to deny these feelings.

Stop for a moment, focus on your breathing, and be realistic about your feelings It will help you make responsible decisions and not get carried away by impulses, which would only increase anguish with a "snowball" effect.

2. Don't forget to take care of yourself

To care for others, you need to be well. Carry out daily hygiene routines, watch the news for only 10 minutes a day, do sports at home, spend time cooking, reading a good book, watching movies with the family... everything helps to the extent that, in your circumstances, it helps you balance your emotions and continue with your day-to-day life.

• You may be interested: "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: causes and symptoms"

3. stay connected

Phone calls, video calls... They are designed precisely for this, to maintain the connection wherever we are. Let's take advantage of the good that social networks have and stay connected to give each other support and hope. If isolation and neglect are the worst breeding grounds for PTSD, let's look into each other's eyes even in front of a screen.

4. Faced with the inevitable, stay in the present

We will not deny reality, there will be circumstances in which it is impossible to avoid isolation and the feeling of helplessness. Live the loss of a loved one, work as [email protected] and overflow, get sick and experience isolation for many days ...

Thus, Strategies to stay in the present will help you not get carried away by what was and what will be, and will keep your mind active working for your emotional balance. Applause on the balconies, donations and messages of support, letters to the sick... these are examples of what we can do as human beings to overcome this difficult situation.

It is never too late, think that face-to-face help and support can come when this is over, and regain your well-being.

Author: Juan Fernández-Rodríguez Labordeta, psychologist in Rising Therapeutics.