suggests that a lot of the important
biological changes that lead
to persistent symptoms happen
in the early aftermath of the
trauma,” McLean says.
They’re gathering information
about life history prior to
trauma, identifying post-traumatic
symptoms, collecting genetic
and other types of biological
data, and performing brain
scans. The study is also using
smart watches and smart phone
apps to measure the body’s response
to trauma. These tools
will help researchers uncover
how trauma affects people’s daily
lives, such as their activity,
sleep, and mood.
“Our goal is that there will
be a time when trauma survivors
come in for care and receive
screening and interventions
to prevent PTSD, just in the
same way that they would be
screened with X-rays to set broken
36 Healthy Living | Summer Issue | 2018
bones,” McLean explains.
Coping With Trauma
How you react when something
traumatic happens, and shortly
afterward, can help or delay
your recovery.
“It’s important to have
a coping strategy for getting
through the bad feelings of a
traumatic event,” Tuma says.
A good coping strategy, he explains,
is finding somebody to
talk with about your feelings.
A bad coping strategy would be
turning to alcohol or drugs.
Having a positive coping
strategy and learning something
from the situation can help you
recover from a traumatic event.
So can seeking support from
friends, family, or a support
group.
Talking with a mental
health professional can help
someone with post-traumatic
stress symptoms learn to cope.
It’s important for anyone with
PTSD-like symptoms to be
treated by a mental health professional
who is trained in trauma
focused therapy.
A self-help website and apps
developed by the U.S. Department
of Veterans Affairs can
also provide support when you
need it following a trauma.
“For those who start therapy
and go through it, a large
percentage of those will get
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