Ignoring trauma may be healthier

by MegaDude 20 Replies latest watchtower medical

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  MegaDude

  Interesting article on Yahoo news today that suggests repressing your emotions may be healthier than venting them. I have my doubts about this, but here's the article below that I found at: http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=570&ncid=753&e=1&u=/nm/20020924/sc_nm/health_stress_dc Stressed Out? Just Forget About It Tue Sep 24, 3:05 AM ET

  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Ignoring trauma may be healthier than pouring out your heart about it, Israeli researchers reported on Tuesday.

  Report after report has detailed the post-traumatic stress suffered by the U.S. population after the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington, but a study published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine suggests it may be better to suppress those feelings.

  "The findings of this study suggest that a repressive coping style may promote adjustment to traumatic stress, both in the short and longer term," Karni Ginzburg of the Bob Shapell School of Social Work at Tel Aviv University in Israel, who led the study, said in a statement.

  Ginzburg and colleagues studied 116 patients who were hospitalized for a heart attack and suffering from anxiety over their near-miss with death. They compared them to 72 people who had not suffered heart attacks.

  "The damage to the heart, with its symbolic meaning as the essence of the human being, may shatter the patient's sense of wholeness and safety," Ginzburg said.

  The patients took standardized tests for acute stress disorder, which check for symptoms such as distress, trauma flashbacks, difficulty carrying out everyday tasks, insomnia, and poor concentration.

  This syndrome is called post-traumatic stress disorder if the symptoms last or occur more than a month later, and the patients were re-tested after seven months.

  They were also asked questions about coping style -- whether they ignored their anxiety or tended to dwell on it.

  People who tended to repress their anxiety had the lowest levels of PTSD, the researchers reported.

  Many people have done studies on how to cope with stress, and results are mixed. But Ginzburg and colleagues cited studies that suggest that if the patient does not go too far into denial, repression may work well.

  "Prior studies report that repressors tend to perceive themselves as competent, self-controlled and having adequate coping skills," Ginzburg said.

  Edited by - megadude on 24 September 2002 9:7:9
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  Introspection

  They were also asked questions about coping style -- whether they ignored their anxiety or tended to dwell on it.

  Gee, isn't this like saying "Do you ignore the big bleeding gash in your head or do you pick at it?" Lets just list both extremes and decide if either of them are good.

  Many people have done studies on how to cope with stress, and results are mixed. But Ginzburg and colleagues cited studies that suggest that if the patient does not go too far into denial, repression may work well.

  Welll... It's one thing not to dwell on something, repressing it is something different altogether. Most people have atleast brief periods where they are not thinking about the trauma don't they? As bad as a given case may be, it's not like a continuous stream of trauma day and night, you get the drift. What about something as simple as dealing with it when it comes up, rather than forcing something to happen and digging it up when it's not even coming up, or again to the other extreme - repression?

  "Prior studies report that repressors tend to perceive themselves as competent, self-controlled and having adequate coping skills," Ginzburg said.

  ... and is that supposed to matter when it comes to the reality of whether they are actually competent, self-controlled and having adequate coping skills? I am suspicious of this too, just by virtue of the fact that it smacks of the typical one sided attitude. Things happen in their own time, for each person. I can understand how it can bring temporary relief, but maybe the question is whether you care if your mental health is based on reality, or nice things you can tell yourself. I would certainly think that due to the nature of the disorder it would make sense to take time to work on it, but if they really think this is a true solution maybe they are in denial. Maybe repression "works", but how does it work? What is the nature of that work? Another thing to consider is that the whole mechanism of repression is like using pain killers. There is a reason why you are experiencing the pain. You might as well just take a bunch of aspirin for that big gash in your head, it's the same principle. It has a place, but without putting it in perspective it's just ridiculous.
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  heathen

  take 2 valium and call me in the morning .lol not sure how they spell that though lol
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  Crystal

  Why relive a nightmare over and over again?
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  larc

  Crystal,

  With one sentence you said it all.
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  happysunshine

  Well put. This last year I started to adress the issue of witnesses and my family. Although I feel I have a really good cause and motivation, its caused all kinds of problems for me and dirupted my life. It may have been better to 'repressed'.

  When it comes down to it, right or wrong, what you spend your time on becomes the center of your life.
• 

  Tinkerbell4125

  I agree that reliving a truma over and over again would not be healthy, but I feel it is healthy to get it out of your system and then move on.

  While I was in counceling over my father's suicide, I was told it was healthy to deal with it. Not to dweal on it forever, but deal with the grief and move on. They called it grief work. I experienced alot of different emotions, one minute I was sad, then angry. I found that by working through them, I was able to work past them. They also told me that I could deal with it now, or deal with it later, one way or another, it would sufface in some way. For me I have moved on and I found talking about it beneficial. People deal with things differently, what works for one person, may not necessarily work for another.
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  Lady Lee

  Hmmm I can think of a couple of problems with this study - culture and application

  The study was done in Tel Aviv Israel Isn't this a country that has been at war for ever is seems? I would think that most of the counrty is suffering from PTSD. Comparing that to the Americans after 9-11 is nonsense. While the 9-11 attack was most definitely traumatic - in the over all picture of attacks on the US it was a one-time act of war. Applying research data on individuals who livce in a constant war zone or threat of war/bombings is like comapring apples and oranges - they are both fruit but there similarities end there.

  Cultural differences would also play a big part in the PTSD. How poeple are socialized to express their feelings has a huge part to play in any long terms symptoms of stress. North American men are taught to hide their feelings - anger one of the few feelings allowed public expression. Some European, Middle Eastern men do not have the same cultural norms about repressing feelings. I would think that those European and Middle Eastern cultures that permit men to fully express themselves may apply more to the research in question. North Amaerican men who have been taught to repress their feelings probably need the reverse - permission to express their feelings. And I was very glad to see that happen after 9-11.

  JMHO
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  LyinEyes

  I agree with Tink said, you either deal with it now or later. Sooner or later it will hit you like a ton of bricks. In my case I did remarkably well, so others said, but then the reality of it all hit hard. I guess I was still in shock even months later.

  I think too, that changes in your life will make you think differently about a trauma you experienced even if it was years ago. Then there are triggers, like a birthday of someone who died, or hauting memories of a bad car wreck. Seems no matter how hard we try to go on about our daily lifes and put the past behind us, it still comes out in our dreams and subconscious.

  I think that is why it is so important if you have friend who is shock of some kind of trauma in their life, there are just too many tragic things that happen to everyone some time or another. If we can be there to tell them, it takes times, but to grieve, if they want to cry ok, or talk great, or if they are numb just be there for them. Ignoring trauma may be what would be a wonderful thing, but in some case if not all, it seems that would be impossible, especailly when it hits so close to home.

  Some days I feel very emotional over things and turn on the tv to hear the most horrible stories of death and wars and crimes, I have to turn it off or it drive me crazy. I can ignore this kind of stuff when I feel I can't handle anymore of the pictures you see on tv. It just seems to trigger anxiety in me and I have to step back and find a way to not think of so much grief in the world. Not that I always turn the tv, I am pretty interested in the world and humankind and it breaks my heart to see man from all over the world killing and dying for their religions. The innocent dying, it makes you feel so helpless. That is when I choose to turn away for just a little while until I can gain my own balanance again.

  But usually the trauma we personally face, will have to work its way out. That is why doctors are reluctant to let you stay on mind numbing medications if you lose a loved one. Sometimes they will give you meds right when it happens to relieve the insomnia to help you get thru the week. But they say that it is better to grieve and not repress it, it will show up later anyway. The sooner you face it you have a better chance at having support while it is fresh in the minds of your friends. This is just my opinion, thou.
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  Big Tex

  Remember that commercial years ago for some auto part (Fram?):

  You can pay me now or pay me later.

  Same thing with emotions. You don't have to relive the experience over and over, but sooner or later you do have to deal with it. I know I tried my best to repress everything inside me. I tried to stay positive, have happy thoughts. I studied the Bible every day. I read the Aid book after school. I stayed busy, pioneered and was very active as a good little Witness. Until the day all that shit came knocking on my door and I literally, physically collapsed at age 23 and was hospitalized for some time.

  I believe in the power of positive thinking, but just wishing away depression or pushing away anger, fear and shame about some hideous atrocity will lead to disaster. Anyone who says otherwise is trying to sell you something.