Resilience: The First Line Of Defense
There has been increased awareness and attention placed on the treatment of trauma. Soldiers returning from the World War I & II were routinely assigned to long-term medical wards and heavily medicated. But recently the treatment of trauma has become more enlightened. New treatments have led to individuals suffering from trauma being able to return to normal life. The focus of many of these treatments is to develop resilience, or the ability to bounce back.
This ability to bounce back means finding the capacity to recover from difficulties or developing mental toughness. One of the most helpful ways to do this is to participate in group therapy and not attempt to conquer the problem alone. This podcast covers the experience of someone who tried a new form of therapy for their trauma.
Treatment ranges from psychological and medical intervention to mindfulness practices. There is evidence among studies of healthcare providers to suggest that any intervention is preferable to ignoring the problem. According to a systematic review of multiple studies [1]on the mental health of medical first responders, it is possible to adopt preventive measures and adaptive strategies to help first responders develop resilience. Several promising studies among healthcare workers[2] suggest that these measures are simple to implement and cost-effective.
If you are someone you love is suffering from trauma seek professional help.
[1] Naushad VA, Bierens JJ, Nishan KP, et al. A Systematic Review of the Impact of Disaster on the Mental Health of Medical Responders. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2019;34(6):632-643. doi:10.1017/S1049023X19004874
[2] Intervention for PTSD seems to be transferable among multiple audience this study among healthcare workers suggests efficacy for law enforcement as well. Rinaldi A, Tecchio R, Perugino S, De Luca A. The educational intervention "Focusing" as a strategy to stress reduction among health care workers: a pilot study in an Italian teaching hospital. Ann Ig. 2019 May-Jun;31(3):236-243. doi: 10.7416/ai.2019.2286. PMID: 31069368.
