The Change We Need (original) (raw)
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Trauma as Change Process: A Systems Theory View
Trauma has been in the news recently with unremitting media coverage of the tragedies suffered by victims of massive floods, earthquakes, and wars. This fascination with victimization appears to be exacerbating public fearfulness as it passes on the stereotype that trauma causes terrible harm.
Systems Theory provides a new and expanded way of understanding the psychology of trauma. Systems Theory helps us to see trauma as a nonlinear, holistic dynamic of life that can add to well-being as well as take away from it. I am still working on this paper, and would love to have suggestions for improvement, as well as possible journals for publishing it!
Stress and Mental Health - Depression and Biological Views
This article offers different views on stress, from both biological and psychological perspectives. It is generally known that there is always more than one perspective. Scientific biological and genetic research on stress has been among the most widely studied topics in the past decades. In this article I speak about some scientific findings on stress effects. The structure of personality genetical and psychological traits, as well as enviromental ones, offers a very significant answer to stress responses. I end the article speaking about psychological and biological theories on stress related anxiety and depression.
With reference To empirical work, why do some people get stressed more than others?
Sciknow Publications Ltd, 2013
"What is Stress? Stress is not a new phenomenon; it has been experienced throughout history. Stress is a biological response to some stimulus. Fear, panic, anger, tragedy and competitiveness can trigger stress. Stress can result in the competitiveness needed to succeed in business, achieve an education, foster social relationships, and win at sports. (Holmes 1994). Stress is a body condition that occurs in response to actual or anticipated difficulties in life. Stress can also be defined as the sum of physical and mental responses our bodies experience in relationship to any change. There are many causes of stress and many different ways to handle stress. Stress can also be harmful to one’s health, both physically and mentally. There are two main types of stress, which are distress and Eustress. Unfortunately, stress and distress are used all too often as though they are interchangeable terms. Perhaps this is because the common sense view of stress is weighted to the negative side. Distress is the bad stress. It is much the same as a state of anxiety, fear, worry, or agitation. Distress is a negative, painful experience and is something to avoid. On the other hand, there is a good stress, Eustress. Eustress is pleasurable and satisfying experiences that people encounter. Participation in a wedding ceremony, anticipation of competing in a major sports event, or performing in a theatrical production are examples of Eustress. Eustress can heighten awareness, increase mental alertness, and can sometimes lead to superior cognitive and behavioural performances. "
In our increasingly violent world, the expectation that a field based missionary will experience a traumatic event during their term of service is dramatically increasing. Studies have concluded that over eighty percent of field based missionaries report a traumatic event with many experiencing long-term effects. Mission's organizations along with pastoral counselors need to understand the long-term effects of trauma related events in the lives of field based missionaries in order to provide appropriate compassionate care for re-entry into a missionaries' normal living environment.
Coping: Stress management strategies
Stress can be a result of both positive and negative experiences, and it is a necessary part of our daily lives. From an evolutionary standpoint stress was necessary for survival (i.e., imagine hunting large prey on which one’s entire tribe is dependent) and some stress continues to be a helpful part of our modern lives since it motivates us to accomplish tasks or make needed changes.We all feel the pressure of our environment during times of transition (i.e., at the time of high school graduation) and in preparation for significant life events (i.e., in anticipation of a job interview). Although response to stress is often adaptive (i.e., feeling stress before an exam may be a critical motivator in studying for it), too much stress or an inability to cope with it can cause negative emotional and physical symptoms, including, but not limited to, anxiety, irritability, and increased heart rate.
Child Trauma Toolkit for Educators
is a unique collaboration of academic and community-based service centers whose mission is to raise the standard of care and increase access to services for traumatized children and their families across the United States. Combining knowledge of child development, expertise in the full range of child traumatic experiences, and attention to cultural perspectives, the NCTSN serves as a national resource for developing and disseminating evidence-based interventions, trauma-informed services, and public and professional education.