Written by Megan Bronson RN, MSN, CS on November 17, 2019
Consider the developmental stage of the individual when traumatized:
Inadequate or incomplete achievement of developmental tasks often occurs in the wake of trauma. This is true for the burn injured child as well as siblings of the child who suffered the burn. It Is therefore essential to consider the developmental stage the person was in when the burn injury occurred as the developmental task of that stage may have been partially or inadequately mastered The development of the human personality and psychology is similar to the building of a house. In the building of a house, the care with which the foundation is laid will determine the solidness and the structural strength of the completed house. All parts of the house rest on the foundation, just as all parts of the personality are built on the sequential developmental stages of childhood and adolescents.
Unresolved trauma and traumatic loss often present as:
Depression • Anxiety disorders
Obsessional thinking and compulsive behaviors, perfectionism
Alcohol and Substance abuse and inappropriate dependence
Problems with intimacy such as social isolation, abusive relationships, inappropriate control in relationships, problem with boundaries
Sleep disturbance—difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, early awakening
Eating disorders—anorexia, binging, bulimia, overeating
Psychosomatic illness—such as headaches, peptic ulcers, etc
Aggression, hostility, irritability, difficulty managing anger, controlling behaviors
Risk taking behaviors
Failure to emancipate, failure to take responsibility, running away, etc.
Regressive behavior such as thumb sucking and baby talk.
Recognizing fear and its roots in trauma:
It is the trapped fear that is at the root of post traumatic stress symptoms (see accompanying handouts). Common fears of children after trauma are described by Lenore Terr, MD in Too Scared to Cry: How Trauma Effects Children and Ultimately Us All.
These common post trauma fears are:
Fear of another more frightening event
Fear of separation
Fear of death
Fear of helplessness
The mirror image of extreme rage is extreme passivity—both are fear based
It is often unresolved fear that unconsciously drives a trauma survivor’s life and the resolution of fear is therefore essential to recovery and healing.
Reference: Balance Point, Inc. Megan Bronson RN, MSN, CS © 2004