Who Is at Risk for Severe and Longer Lasting Reactions to Trauma?
Some people are at greater risk than others for developing sustained and long-term reactions to a traumatic event including disorders such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and generalized anxiety. Factors that contribute to the risk of long-term impairment such as PTSD are listed. • Proximity to the event. Closer exposure to actual event leads to greater risk (dose-response phenomenon). • Multiple stressors. More stress or an accumulation of stressors may create more difficulty. • History of trauma. • Meaning of the event in relation to past stressors. A traumatic event may activate unresolved fears or frightening memories. • Persons with chronic medical illness or psychological disorders. What Can You Do to Treat Patients in Response to a Traumatic Event? Helping survivors of traumatic events, their family members, and emergency rescue personnel requires preparation, sensitivity, assertiveness, flexibility and common sense. • Refer patients to a mental health prof
