INTERVENTION PROGRAMS WITH VICTIMS

Prof. Dr. Noem Pereda MODULE 6 Session 11

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PSYCHACHE

Term introduced by Dr. Edwin S. Shneidman (suicidologist and thanatologist, 1918-2009) 1968 American Association of Suicidology Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior Journal

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PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF VICTIMIZATION DEPRESSION It is a mental disorder characterized by low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities. ANXIETY DISORDERS It is a blanket term covering several different forms of abnormal and pathological fears and anxieties.

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PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF VICTIMIZATION POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) It is an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to one or more traumatic events. Diagnostic symptoms include reexperience, such as flashbacks and nightmares; avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma; and increased arousal, such as difficulty falling or staying asleep, anger, and hypervigilance. (APA, 2000)

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POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) The symptoms persist for at least one month and significantly disturb the patient's social or occupational functioning. It is also common to feel emotionally numb especially with people they were once close to. (APA, 2000)

cognitive and behavioral avoidance of stimuli that remain the event

AVOIDANCE symptoms

REEXPERIENCING symptoms

intrusive thoughts about the trauma, nightmares, flashbacks

TRAUMA

HYPERAROUSAL symptoms

irritability, aggressive behaviors, concentration difficulties

an abnormal reaction to an abnormal event

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ACUTE STRESS DISORDER Also: psychological shock, mental shock, shock It is a variation of PTSD. Symptoms of acute stress disorder are similar to those of PTSD. Symptoms last for a minimum of 2 days, and a maximum of 4 weeks (1 month). Symptoms occur within 4 weeks of the event. If symptoms persist longer than 1 month: PTSD.

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HEALING It is an individual journey. Multiple pathways to heal. Feeling of peace, balance, restoration.

survivors have all they need inside themselves to heal

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PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS PSYCHOLOGICAL DEBRIEFING It is a brief intervention designed to: normalize posttrauma symptoms educate trauma survivors about stress reactions and about ways of coping with them promote the expression of feelings and thoughts related to the trauma provide information about possible further interventions.

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PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (CBT) It is a psychotherapeutic approach that aims to influence dysfunctional emotions, behaviors and cognitions through a goal-oriented, systematic procedure. Education about psychological effects Imaginal reliving of the event Cognitive restructuring Reversal of avoidance behaviors Exposure (imaginal/in vivo)

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PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (CBT) Cognitive restructuring It is the process of learning to refute cognitive distortions, negative thinking, with the goal of replacing one's irrational, counterfactual beliefs with more accurate and beneficial ones. It is based on the assumption that: the way we think about things is important in determining how we feel and how we behave.

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COGNITIVE DISTORTIONS Labeling and Mislabeling Those who label or mislabel will habitually place labels that are often inaccurate or negative on themselves and others: Im useless Im a crap NEGATIVE THINKING Overgeneralisation Coming to a general conclusion based on a single event or one piece of evidence. If something bad happens once, you expect it to happen again and again. Such thoughts often include the words always and never: Ill never be happy again

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PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (CBT) Self-monitoring It is a diary or protocol to monitor the occurrence of symptoms or behaviors. TO MONITOR To supervise, to keep an eye on

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PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS HYPNOSIS It is a mental state usually induced by a procedure known as a hypnotic induction, which is commonly composed of a series of preliminary instructions and suggestions Hypnotic suggestions may be delivered by a hypnotist in the presence of the subject, or may be self-administered ("self-suggestion" or "autosuggestion").

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MINIMAL INTERVENTIONS FREQUENT ASSESSMENTS SUPPORTIVE COUNSELING/LISTENING SELF-HELP A single session with a clinician and a self-help booklet.