COURSE TITLE: APPLIED HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY

CODE: BOPN 307

PRESENTATION ON ADAPTATION AND ADAPTATION TO TRAUMATIC INJURIES

GROUP SIX (6)

ADAPTATION AND ADAPTATION TO TRAUMATIC INJURIES

OBJECTIVES

By the end of this presentation students will be able to;

 Define adaptation
 Understand the concept of adaptation
 Understand the various types of adaptation
 Define trauma
 Identify various types of trauma
 Understand reactions to traumatic injuries
 Know ways of adapting to traumatic injuries

ADAPTATION

Adaptation refers to an individual’s ability to adjust to changes and new experiences, and to accept
new information. (American Psychological Association)

An adaptation is any variation that can increase one’s biological fitness in a specific environment;
more simply it is the successful interaction of a population with its environment. (Jurmain et al
2013)

Individual inhabits environment that can change to become drier, hotter, colder, darker and sunnier
with an almost infinite number of variables. Individual with genetic advantages, such as a mutation
that helps them survive the new condition pass down the change to descendant, and it becomes
prevalent in the population to be expressed as an adaptation.
According to Piaget theory, adaptation was one of the important processes guiding cognitive
development. The adaptation process itself can occur in two ways. These are assimilation and
accommodation.

ASSIMILATION

Information is taken from the outside world and convert it to fit in with their existing idea and
concept. People possess mental categories for information known as schemas that are used to
understand the world around them. Example, imagine a small child is seeing a dog for the first
time. The child already knows what a cat is, so when she sees the dog she immediately assumes it
is a cat. After all, it fits into her existing schema for cat, since they are both small, furry and have
four legs.

ACCOMMODATION

People also accommodate new information by changing their mental representation to fit the new
information. When people encounter information that is completely new or that challenges their
existing ideas, they often have to form a new schema to accommodate the information or alter their
existing mental categories. Example, a child who taught that a dog was a cat might begin to notice
key differences between the two animals. One barks and the other meows. After a while she will
accommodate the new information by creating a new schema for dogs while at the same time
altering her existing schema for cat.

Adaptation therefore is a critical part of cognitive development. Through this process of

assimilation and accommodation, people are able to take in new information, form new ideas or
change existing ones and adopt new behaviour.

TYPES OF ADAPTATION
Adaptations may be biological or cultural in nature.

BIOLOGICAL ADAPTATION

 This is the result of natural selection acting upon heritable variation. Example
tropical people are tall and lean to lose heat and arctic and mountain people are short and
wide to conserve heat.

Types of Biological Adaptation

  ACCLIMATIZATION

This form of adaptation can take moments to weeks to occur and is reversible within an
individual’s lifetime no matter if it occurs when one is a child or an adult. Acclimatization help to
conserve energy.

 SHORT-TERM ACCLIMATIZATION

Can occur within seconds of exposure to a stressor. This type of response quickly reverses when
the stressor is no longer present. Imagine stepping out of an air-conditioned building or car into a
39 degrees day. Your body will quickly begin to perspire in an attempt to cool your body
temperature and return to homeostasis. When the temperature declines, so will your perspiration.

 DEVELOPMENTAL ACCLIMATIZATION
Developmental acclimatization occurs during an individual’s growth and development. It’s also
called ontological acclimatization or developmental adjustment. Note that these cannot take place
once the individual is fully grown. There is usually a “magic time window” of when the
acclimatization can occur. This adaptation can take months to years to acquire.

A famous example of this is those who have grown up at high altitude vs. those who have moved
to high altitude as adults. Those who were born at high altitude tend to develop larger lung
capacities than do those who were not born at high altitude, but moved there later in life.

 GENETICS

Genetic adaptations can occur when a stressor is constant and lasts for many generations (O’Neil
1998-2013). The presence of the sickle cell allele in some human populations is one example.
Keep in mind that genetic adaptations are environmentally specific. In other words, while a
particular gene may be advantageous to have in one environment, it may be detrimental to have in
another environment.

CULTURAL ADAPTATIONS

Cultural adaptations: Culture adaptation can occur at any time and may be as simple as putting
on a coat when it is cold or as complicated as building and installing a heating system in a
building. Humans are unique in having most of their adaptations transmitted culturally.

Humans are tied to the environment by the way they gain their subsistence (Survival).

Subsistence systems are often highly adapted to local conditions and it includes hunting and
gathering and food production.

IMPORTANCE OF ADAPTATION

Adaptation is essential in order to survive and move ahead in the world.

The ability to adapt to people, situations and surroundings affords people a greater opportunity to
get what they want and what they need.
Without the ability to adapt, people may find themselves stuck in situations far longer than is
necessarily and unable to reach their goals.

Being able to adapt to the different customs, beliefs, and behavior of others, whether they are
foreign, family or friends gives affords the opportunity to learn from them and see what about
them and they way they live can be of benefit to you.

SOME REMARKABLE ADAPTATIONS THAT ALLOWED HUMANS TO CONQUER

THE WORLD

1) Endurance running.

Although recreational running can feel like a chore, our species is built for endurance. Humans move
at a slow, easy pace for a longer time.
This allowed prehistoric humans to excel at hunting. We'd jog after large prey under the midday sun
until they died from exhaustion.

2) Sweating.
Our ability to regulate body temperature further helped our crazy endurance abilities. Humans can
really take the heat.
We're also able to breath through our mouths when we run, taking in more oxygen as well as further
dissipating heat.

3) Walking upright.
Standing on two legs kept more of our hairless skin out of the harsh savanna sun and, even more
importantly, freed up our hands to wield tools and to throw weapons.

4) Hearing tuned for speech

We can hear a wider range of sounds, especially between 1.0-6.0 kHz — where most human speech
occurs.
This better listening and communication was vital in early human development. As one study
showed, being able to communicate ideas makes problem solving far easier and more efficient.
5) Great teeth.
Our early human ancestors had awesome teeth. These hardy teeth allowed our ancestors to go with the
flow and survive: to eat meat when they could and other wild foodstuffs. After development of
agriculture, however, our diets became starch.
TRAUMA

The term ‘trauma’ originates from the Greek word trauma (“wound”). This term can be interpreted
in the context of both physical and psychic wounding.

Peichl (2007) describes trauma as a toxic condition, a mixture of intense anxiety, absolute
helplessness and a loss of control.

A trauma is a stressful event or incident of a threatening nature, which is likely to have a pervasive
impact on anyone experiencing it. Examples include events like serious accidents, rape, crime,
natural and man-made disasters, witnessing a violent death, etc.

Less dramatic events and incidents can have a similar effect if they exceed a person’s capacity to
cope, or if they are perceived by the person as a threat to their physical or psychological integrity.

There is distinction between trauma and traumatic events. Corsini (2002) describe trauma as the
result of a painful event, while the ‘traumatic event or experience’ constitutes the injurious event
itself.eg war.

TYPES OF TRAUMATIC INJURIES

Psychological/Emotional: Is a type of damage to the mind that occurs as a result of a distressing

event. It include harassment, embarrassment, abandonment, abusive relationships, rejection, sexual
abuse, employment discrimination.

Physical trauma: is a serious injury to the body e.g. Loss of vision through a motor vehicle
accident

DYNAMICS OF TRAUMA

 Traumas experienced by an individual for example abuse, rape, incest, post-abortion

trauma. Freud (1965) observed that traumas and suffering inflicted upon us by other humans
leave the most powerful and painful traumatic imprint.
  Traumas experienced collectively by a group of people or segment of the population.
Example include victims of war, natural disasters such as hurricanes, tsunamis, volcanoes
and earthquakes, groups of people present during an armed robbery, multiple passengers in
a bus or automobile accident .
 Intergenerational trauma is the transmission of the consequences of trauma from one
generation to the next (Maviglia 2006). Intergenerational results when disturbing
experiences are not addressed and their emotional and behavioral legacy is passed down
from parents to their children. Parents who experienced persistent trauma in childhood may
lack the emotional ability to express empathy and compassion and the cognitive ability to
regulate their behavior. Unresolved trauma may make it difficult for parents to build
trusting relationships and healthy attachments with their children. These maladaptive
mechanisms are then transmitted to future generations.
 Historical trauma is a type of intergenerational trauma caused by historical, systematic
abuse and injustice to a group of people or community. Many groups have experienced
historical trauma (e.g., African Americans, immigrants, families experiencing
intergenerational poverty).

The effects of historical trauma is that it can make individuals feel shame in their culture and
identity. African Americans have experienced generations of slavery, segregation, and oppression,
resulting in physical, psychological, and spiritual trauma. Dr. Joy De Gruy has named the trauma
specific to these events “post-traumatic slave syndrome.

REACTION TO TRAUMATIC INJURIES

Common reactions people involved in overwhelming disasters and incidents often report typical
reactions. Knowing about these reactions can be useful, because it can help us see that we aren’t
going crazy or that we aren’t weak and inadequate. Such experience is a normal reaction to an
abnormal event. Also, it’s important to realize that each person deals with trauma in a slightly
different way, because each situation is unique.

 One may experience episodes of repeated reliving of some aspects of the trauma in the
form of intense memories (called flashbacks), nightmares and frightening thoughts.
 They may also experience physical reactions to situations that remind them of the
traumatic event. This repeated reliving of the traumatic event could disturb the day-to-day
activities and functioning, and result in a lack of interest in normal activities.
  At other times you may experience a sense of numbness, emotional blunting, perhaps even
a feeling that you don’t care about anything.
 You may feel detached from other people and then frustrated that they don’t seem to
understand how you feel.
 You are likely to experience a wide range of different emotions, such as fear, anger,
sadness, guilt, etc. In the immediate aftermath you may feel vulnerable, the world might
seem threatening, and the future uncertain. Therefore fear and panic are very
understandable emotional responses.
 Anger is another common response. You may feel angry because of what has happened to
you, angry because you don’t feel in control of your life any more, angry with others for
making you suffer either deliberately or unintentional.
 Some people may start blaming themselves for what happened and feel guilty about the
event. Some may experience survivor guilt (guilt over surviving while others did not),
although they aren’t responsible for it in any way.
 The experience could trigger physical symptoms such as palpitations, patchy sleep, poor
concentration, agitation, dizziness, etc.
 Traumatic events or incidents could rekindle feelings of previous trauma and loss, which
has perhaps been buried or denied for many years.
 Trauma may lead to a reassessment of your vulnerability and the meaning of life, because
it can overturn so much that was previously held dear.

It is important to realize that all of the above and perhaps other reactions as well, are
understandable and normal responses to an abnormal and overwhelming event.

WAYS OF ADAPTING TO TRAUMATIC INJURIES AS AN INDIVIDUAL

 Talk to someone you trust, such as a family member or a friend, about how you feel. If you
want to talk about it again and again that is fine. Talking about your feelings and the
experience many times will help you to make sense of what has happened. It will also help
you to contain it and make it less overwhelming.
 Write down your thoughts and feelings. It can serve as a coping mechanism and a way of
expressing your emotions.
 Re-establish, if possible, familiar routines and activities. This will help you to restore order
into your life, and allow you to feel more in control.
  Try to access positive memories to counterbalance the negative ones. Trauma can make
this difficult, but your health depends on balancing negative memories with positive ones.
 Try to avoid using drug or alcohol to cope as they can lead to more problem
 List your priorities and deal with them one at a time.
 Leave important decisions till later.
 Seek professional help if you are struggling.

HELPING OTHERS TO ADAPT TO TRAUMATIC INJURIES

 You may want to be supportive to a person who has suffered a traumatic incident but
unsure about how to go about it. The most important thing you can do is offer to 'be' there
with them. Immediately after a trauma, people are likely to be in shock and may not be able
to talk about the incident or their feelings.
 Be gentle. Comfort them in non-verbal ways - warm sweet drinks devoid of caffeine are
good, holding hands or touch if appropriate - letting them know it’s OK to cry or rage or be
silent if they need to. You don't have to 'do' anything other than be present or to listen if
they want to talk. Do not attempt to 'debrief' them with endless questions, as there is some
evidence that this can reinforce the trauma and make it harder to deal with later.
 Be specific about the amount of time you have (e.g. I want to spend the next hour with you,
but then I need to go and attend to other patients etc.). This allows the person to relax,
knowing it’s OK to share for that hour and that they are not 'burdening' you.

Do’s

• Be there for them

• Ask them if they want to talk about it

• Respect their decision if they are not ready to

• Offer comfort in practical ways (shopping, note taking etc.)

• Encourage them to be gentle with themselves - they will need time

• Encourage others to be patient with the victim.

Sometimes, it may be quite harrowing to hear what they have to say. If so, it might be helpful for
the person to see a counselor or chaplain. You can still continue to show support in other ways:
e.g. going along with them to make an appointment, meeting them for coffee, cooking their supper,
continuing to socialize etc
DO NOT

• Tell them to stop crying/raging/feeling whatever they are feeling

• Try to make them cheer up

• Tell them someone else is worse off

• Be afraid to mention the trauma for fear of upsetting them

• Pretend nothing has happened

• Ask them lots of questions about the trauma directly after the event.

RECOVERY PROCESS

Recovery takes time. A psychological wound cannot be forced to heal quickly. It is no different
from a physical wound. Flowing with the healing process is better than fighting it. This process
can be described as moving from victim to survivor. There are some common elements in this
period of healing:

• You acquire more control in remembering the event. Memory and emotions are joined. The
memory is re-examined and then filed away.

• The trauma may still affect you, but it is no longer overwhelming.

• The troublesome symptoms recede, become more tolerable and predictable and gradually fade
away.

• You are able to reconnect with others and move on with your life.

• You are able to give some new meaning to both the trauma and yourself as a trauma survivor.

• For some it can lead to a re-appraisal of their basic priorities and values, which may result in
important positive life changes.

• Still others are able to transform their experience, through adversity and suffering, into a gift
enabling them to help others in similar circumstances.
REFERENCES:

Macmillan P. Arms S. et al (2002). Pre-injury status and adaptation following traumatic brain
injury

Practice. Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice, 1(1),93-108.

Maercker A. (2014). Dysfunctional disclosure of trauma.

Wormald D. (2017). What do you know about adaptation?

Simonet G. (2010). Involvement in Climate Change.

Sotero, M, S. (2006). A conceptual model of historical trauma: Implication for Public Health

Adaptation. (n.d.) Retrieved from

https://www.alleydog.com/glossary/definition.cit.php?term=adaptation.

De Gruy, J. (2005). Post traumatic Slave Syndrome. Retrieved from https://joydegruy.com/joy-de-

gruy-books-cds-and -dvds/

https://www.alleydog.com/glossary/definition.cit.php?term=Adaptation.

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