• May 3, 2024

Surviving an attack or explosion, such as those recorded in the Boston Marathon where there were 130 injured and three dead, leaves many psychological and emotional sequelae such as panic attacks, sadness, indignation and post-traumatic stress.

The psychologist María Salamanca, specialist of the Patient Assistance Clinic of the Psychoanalytic Society of Mexico (SPM) He points out that normally people react in two ways to the shock of an attack, depending on their personality:

1. Paralysis. People remain immobile because they wait for orders to be given or for someone else to respond to the attack.
2. Mobilization. This type of individuals seeks to do something about it, to organize and help others.

However, in the case of the person acting at the time, the shock of the attack or assault will be felt when their physical security is protected or the state of emergency has passed, that is, they will realize that they are in a state of emergency. posttraumatic stress.

Overcome post-traumatic stress and recover your life!

The psychologist María Salamanca stress that post-traumatic stress occurs when a person experiences a situation where their life was threatened, and manifests through sleep problems such as insomnia, night terrors, very evident nervousness and panic attacks.

There are even people who may have post-traumatic stress and it is not evident to others, so it is important that the victims of these types of events know some keys such as the following to overcome and improve their quality of life.

1. Recognize it It is normal for people to enter a state of denial, but it is important that people accept that they were in a situation of risk, where life was threatened, as well as the emotions that generated it.

2. Speak it The person must talk and understand what happened. With this the people who listen to it will realize how the discourse changed, because first it is oriented to the surprise that lived and then it will focus on the use of the verb "might or have".

3. Search professional help. It is very useful for those affected to attend a session of individual or group therapy to share the experience and find the understanding they need at that time.

4. Overcome fear The attacks not only affect the people who are in that moment, also the spectators feel fear about that. That is why you must accept fears, investigate and talk with others.

5. Overcome the guilt of surviving. Relatives and victims must work to reduce the guilt generated by being safe and sound, while there are people who have physical damage from the incident.

On the other hand, the specialist details that when an affected person registers some panic attack by remembering the traumatic events that he lived, they can use breathing techniques or the repetition of a word to control it at the moment.

However, these two methods do not profoundly eliminate the origin of fear or cure post-traumatic stress, but are emergency measures to control emotions immediately.

María Salamanca recommends finding a space where the person can overcome the fear that at any moment will be the victim of another attack and return to their normal routine in a simpler and freer form of the state of denial.

In addition, understanding why these types of attacks happen through research, whether in the news, generates an illusory sense of control of the situation.

To participate in a quiet way and enjoy activities similar to the Boston Marathon, the psychologist points out that it is important that the authorities maintain direct contact with the population and be clear about safety.
 

Video Medicine: Return from Chaos: Treating PTSD | Peter Tuerk | TEDxCharleston (May 2024).