THE SOURCE
The Source is a place for Palm Beach County residents and experts to connect and exchange information.
Q I want to know how to handle post-traumatic stress after Covid worries go away. -M.P., Boynton Beach.
A So, the definition of Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD) is having intense and disturbing thoughts and feelings after a trauma. Trauma is generally defined as actual or threatened death or injury. We all faced a threat and fear of dying when first hearing about Covid. Covid trauma can affect people in many ways, but I would focus on a few symptoms we see in trauma, specifically the avoidance symptoms. It is very tempting to avoid situations for fear of Covid, and I would encourage you not to do so. The more you avoid it, the stronger that urge can get. It is the same as “getting back up on that horse.” The other symptoms are cognitive symptoms from Covid, meaning the negative thoughts (cognitions) you are attaching to the experience. As with any new behavior, the more you practice the negative thought in your head, the more ingrained and automatic it will be. Rooting out the negative cognitions and meaning you have developed on the way is crucial. The brain has a bad tendency to attach negative meanings to situations first, which aided our early survival.
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It was to prepare us for dangers in the environment. So try to catch yourself in the negative meanings and reframe to the positive. -Karen Severson, M.D. *Note from the publisher: PTSD is a professional diagnosis and requires a licensed clinician to make the diagnosis. Without a shadow of a doubt, this pandemic has impacted us in ways we never imagined. The impact of Covid-19 will be the determining factor in how we live moving forward. The normal we once knew no longer exists, therefore experiencing PTSD after Covid-19 is expected, and having the available resources is imperative in the process. Therapy, self-care regimens, utilizing health coping strategies are all tools that can assist with overcoming post-traumatic stress associated with the health crisis we are currently experiencing. Adaptation is an essential factor in overcoming PTSD. Understanding and accepting the times we live in and not holding on to the life we once knew is crucial to healing and embracing this new normal. -Venise St. Hilaire
Q The levels of depression and
other mental health aspects seem very high for teenagers in
today’s society. So, what can we do to support and help overcome some of this? -A.C., Jupiter
A Mental health issues in teens, par-
ticularly depression and anxiety, has risen dramatically in the wave and wake of Covid, civil rights, political unrest, and so much more. It is important as parents, family, friends, and colleagues to start with empathy. Provide an unbiased, non-judgmental ear for your loved ones, and offer authentic validation and support to them in moments of crisis, but also in times of calm. Don’t try to figure it out for them. Don’t try to sweep it away and call it a phase they are going through. Be there, be present, be kind, be empathetic. - Jimmy Glenos
A In my current practice in emergency
rooms, I see young children growing up too quickly due to access to the internet on YouTube and Tik Tok, etc. I think you can help by continuously monitoring content and explaining to them what they are seeing. We can explain to them how the world actually functions versus the internet version, specifically regarding sexual identity and relationships in general. There is also online bullying
