Psychosomatic causes of injuries to the hands, feet, fingers and other parts of the body

In this article we will tell you how psychological trauma occurs, what types they are, and what treatment methods are used to combat them.

Causes of psychological trauma

Some people reassure themselves that psychotraumas are not so terrible and they are not capable of affecting future generations. In fact, Swiss scientists at the beginning of the 21st century established that they affect the human genetic code and are inherited. There is indeed evidence that individuals whose psyche has been damaged are not able to give everything a child needs for psychological well-being and pass on their fears, pain, anxieties to him, and thus another generation arises with a traumatized psyche.

After all, what is psychotrauma? This is mental pain that harms health, or rather, leads to mental discord. This harm can be caused by internal or external circumstances, or by the actions of other people.

It is necessary to distinguish between psychological trauma and mental trauma, since they are far from the same thing. If we are talking about mental, this means that the person’s psyche has been damaged (severe trials), resulting in disruptions to its normal functioning.

If a person has a psychological trauma, then his psyche remains undisturbed, and he remains quite adequate and capable of adaptation in the external environment.

In the fight against psychotrauma, certain extreme conditions can distract an individual from experiences, but when the influence of extreme events ends, memories can return, that is, the traumatic event also returns.

The cause of psychological trauma can be the death of a loved one, a break in a relationship with a loved one, a serious diagnosis, loss of a job, etc.

People who have survived war, bombing, terrorist attacks, violence, robbery, along with physical damage, also receive mental trauma.

Clinicians and practicing psychologists who study psychological trauma name the main factors that most clearly characterize a traumatic event and cause psychological trauma.

The most traumatic and serious event for the psyche and emotional balance is always the threat of death, no matter for whom this threat is intended: someone close to the person or himself. Sometimes the threat of death even to strangers becomes a traumatic event for the psyche. Feelings of intense fear, helplessness and powerlessness in the face of circumstances cause no less harm. The peculiarity of many traumatic events is that they are extremely difficult and often impossible to predict and take control of.

Traumatic events can destroy confidence in safety and the possibility of a successful outcome, so such events make people extremely vulnerable and vulnerable. It is not at all necessary to take direct part in a traumatic event to receive psychological trauma; sometimes such an event simply concerns the individual very closely.

The features of psychological trauma, as identified by psychotherapists, are in many ways similar to the features of stress and stressful situations.

Many researchers of this problem believe that stress is a personal perception of what happened and the same events affect everyone differently: for some it’s just a nuisance, but for others it’s an annoying misunderstanding or a tragedy of their entire life.

Experts believe that for the formation of psychotrauma, both ongoing events and external and internal factors are necessary: ​​the psychological make-up of the individual and the ideas formed at the same time about evil and good, about wrong and right, about what is impermissible and permissible, and so on.

Child psychology

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Parents can do a lot to restore their child's condition after experiencing shocks and severe stressful situations. These situations may include life-threatening car accidents, fires, floods, sudden illness or death of close family members, crime or violence. If you have experienced great shock or grief, remember the main thing: time and support will certainly help you get back on your feet. Children React Differently A child's reaction to grief or tragedy will depend on a number of factors, including their age, stage of development and personality, and the impact the event had on their parents or other family members. Your child's reaction may not be what you expect. Reactions to psychological trauma may include:

• Withdrawal - this reaction can be expressed in a loss of interest in activities, a loss of confidence, a reluctance to talk, or a regression to more infantile behavior.
• Obsession - manifests itself in the need to relive stressful events, for example, through repeated games or drawings. The child may be overly concerned about possible future events (which, in his opinion, may be somehow caused by what happened) or may have nightmares at night.
• Anxiety – Anxiety may cause problems concentrating or concentrating, obsessive behavior, separation anxiety, sleep problems, irritability and short temperament.
• Physical symptoms – often include headaches and abdominal pain. There may also be delays in response.

Some children may seem to cope well at first, but stress may not manifest itself until much later, perhaps days, weeks, or even months later. It is important to talk about what happened. An attentive and confidential conversation helps to identify all problems. Try the following:

• Reassure your child that everything is over and he is safe (but only if this is true). You may have to tell him this over and over again.
• Listen to your child. Take his concerns and feelings seriously.
• Let your child know that it is important for you to find out what he himself thinks about what happened, since his opinion is very valuable to you.
• Tell your child what happened, but in a way that is accessible to his level of understanding, without going into frightening and scary details. Use language that the child can understand. If you try to hide accurate information from him, he will fill in the gaps of understanding based on his experience, the information he has, and his imagination, which can make his condition worse.
• Make sure your child does not draw any incorrect conclusions. For example, younger children may think that tragedies are their fault because they were disobedient or thought badly of someone.
• Talk about the event with your family. Allow absolutely everyone to speak, including children. This will help each family member overcome isolation, understand and hear each other, and feel supported.
• Talk to your child about how people might react to tragic events. Tell him about the various manifestations of such conditions. Tell your child that his feelings are completely natural and normal under these circumstances, and reassure him that he will feel better over time.

you , and your reactions to your child's feelings and behavior, will play a huge role and have a powerful impact on your child's ability to cope and recover from stress. What should you keep in mind?

• Be understanding. Accept that changes in your child's behavior, such as tantrums or bedwetting, may be a reaction to grief or frightening events.
• Give your child extra attention, especially before bed, and also in other cases when he is not with you and he is very worried about it.
• Children look to their parents to understand the grief that has occurred and to find ways to respond and overcome it. To understand their fears and stress, and to receive comfort and support, they need adults nearby. If you are suffering and cannot cope with your feelings, reactions or relationships, it is important that you still find support and help for yourself. If you don't do this, the child's fear and mental suffering will only increase.
• Talk to your child gently and carefully about your feelings and allow him to talk about his.
• Remember that everyone is different and may have different emotional reactions. Don't expect your child to feel the same way you do.
• Give your child a sense of control over their life. Even small decisions, such as choosing between two fillings for a sandwich, allow the child to gain a sense of control over the situation. This is especially important after the mental chaos that follows a crisis. Children who feel helpless (and lack control) tend to have more severe symptoms of stress.
• Try not to be too protective of your child. It's normal to want everyone in the family to be there after the experience, but it's also important that they feel like their (own) world is a very safe place to live.

Family routine is very important. The suggestions are as follows:

• Try to stick to your normal daily routine as much as possible. The daily predictability of a familiar schedule has a calming effect on children.
• Reassure your child that their normal routine will return to normal very soon. He may not be able to carry out his daily activities, such as going to school or doing housework, for a while. Don't put pressure on him. Just give it time.
• Don't introduce any changes yet, such as new rules or stricter standards of behavior. Leave that for another time.
• Keep your family roles the same as they were before. For example, don't push your child to take on more responsibilities around the house or expect him to meet the emotional needs of a grieving parent.

Practical Strategies for Parents Suggestions are as follows:

• Allow your child to spend plenty of time playing or doing recreational activities such as sports, especially favorite games with best or old friends.
• Leave time for fun. Laughter, good times, and activities to enjoy together can help everyone in the family feel better.
• If your child's appetite has decreased, do not insist that he eat at three main meals. If he doesn't want to eat during this time, simply offer him regular snacks throughout the day.
• Make sure your child gets enough rest and sleep.
• Involve your child in some kind of physical activity - this will help him “burn off” the chemicals released by the body during times of stress, and will also promote better sleep.
• Limit stimulants such as sugar, colorful foods and chocolate.
• Help your child relax physically - warm baths, massages, telling good stories and frequent hugs are great ways to relieve muscle tension.
• Intervene if an activity upsets or worries your child—for example, a television show that reminds your child of past trauma or increases anxiety, worry, or fear. Don't be afraid to turn off the TV if the content of the program is not conducive to your child's recovery.

What parents need to remember

• Children and adults will need time and support to recover from grief or difficult experiences.
• How you handle a crisis yourself and how you respond to your child's feelings and behavior will have a huge impact on his or her ability to cope with difficult events.
• Tell your child about the facts of the event in a language he can understand.

But if you are concerned about your child's well-being or feel that you cannot cope on your own, seek professional advice. A good place to start is to visit your family doctor.

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Child development 09/24/2015

Consequences of psychological trauma

Continuing injuries, catastrophic (massive) injuries, acute and sudden, can serve as a source of clinical conditions in which altered states that arise, for example, a post-traumatic effect with justification, can bring deterioration in health, withdrawal from following the norms of the individual’s social life (the possibility of self-affirmation, social prestige, respect for loved ones and surrounding people, etc.).

Psychotraumas can also lead to intimate and personal consequences on a biological and personally destructive level, and provoke psychosomatic diseases, neuroses, and reactive states.

The destructive power of psychotrauma is determined by the subjective significance of the traumatic event for the individual, the strength of spirit or the degree of his psychological security, resistance to life situations or other factors.

What symptoms can be used to recognize psychotrauma?

Psychological trauma is accompanied by painful symptoms not only on an emotional level, but also on a physical one.

Here are examples of psychological symptoms:

• Distrust of people;
• Problems concentrating;
• Irritability and mood swings;
• Anxiety, fear;
• Feelings of guilt, shame;
• Feeling of hopelessness, helplessness.

Such people are afraid of everything. They are afraid to stay at home alone or go somewhere, they are afraid of strangers, etc. They feel calm only within their own walls in the presence of their family.

In addition to negative emotions, a person exhibits physical symptoms:

• He sleeps poorly and is tormented by nightmares;
• Experiences constant fatigue and muscle tension;
• He is easily frightened;
• He is constantly nervous;
• His pulse is racing.

Types of psychological trauma

There are several types of psychological trauma. The first classification divides injuries into shock, acute and chronic.

Shock trauma is characterized by short-term duration. It always appears spontaneously, as a result of threatening events in the life of an individual and his loved ones.

Acute psychological trauma has a short-term effect on the psyche. Its appearance is associated with previous events, such as humiliation, breakup of relationships.

Psychological, chronic trauma is caused by a negative lingering impact on the psyche, does not have a pronounced form and can last for decades. For example, this is a childhood in a dysfunctional family or a marriage that causes psychological discomfort or physical harm.

The second classification identifies the following psychotraumas:

- trauma of loss;

— existential;

— traumas of one’s own mistakes.

- relationship trauma.

Existential trauma is a belief in a mortal threat or that something threatens a person and his loved ones. A characteristic symptom is fear of death. The individual in this situation is faced with a choice - to withdraw into himself or become stronger.

The trauma of loss refers to the fear of loneliness.

Relationship trauma appears, for example, after the betrayal of a loved one, and in this case, difficulties arise in the future with trust in people.

The trauma of a mistake is shame for what you have done or a feeling of guilt.

Psychosomatic causes of injuries

People prone to injury have a special personality type, a tendency towards self-destruction and self-punishment. What else is typical for such people:

• chronic feelings of guilt;
• suppressed aggression, anger;
• diffidence;
• the desire to earn the love and recognition of others;
• dependence on the opinions and assessments of others;
• constant mental pain, old wounds;
• prohibition on expressing feelings and emotions;
• vulnerability;
• impulsiveness;
• mental instability;
• risky behavior (hitchhiking, skydiving, etc.).

Psychoanalyst Helen Flanders compiled the following portrait of a person susceptible to traumatization:

• determination;
• impulsiveness;
• focus on immediate fulfillment of desires, quick pleasure and satisfaction;
• susceptibility to momentary desires;
• tendency to act emotionally based on the current situation;
• dislike of planning, bordering on the inability to predict the future;
• craving for adventure, excitement.

People prone to self-destruction do not think about what is dangerous and what is not. They never doubt or analyze their actions for safety. On the contrary, they constantly involve themselves in unpleasant situations. Subconsciously they want to kill themselves. Individuals can even say it out loud: “I’ll die or something will happen to me, and you’ll regret everything.”

Personality specificity is formed in childhood. This is due to the authoritarian style of family education. Probably the parents did not give proper care, attention and love. They often punished and scolded the child and forbade him to express his opinions and desires.

A person prone to injury has an intrapersonal conflict. He suffers from a contradictory combination of the need for love and aggression, distrust of the world. At first, aggression and love arise only in relation to parents, later this strange combination of feelings is projected onto all people, the whole world and the individual himself.

This is interesting! The sides of the body have different psychosomatic meanings. The left side is responsible for feminine energy, and the right side is responsible for masculine energy. In this connection, for example, an injury to the left leg may indicate fear of the future caused by difficulties in relations with the mother. And injuries to the right hand indicate an inability to receive or give due to conflicts in relationships with the father.