Tag Archives: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Ask Ellen Anmuth, Psychotherapist: PTSD and the Trayvon Martin Trial

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This blog series was designed to answer questions from readers. In keeping with the current news, a young man named Sam writes in. His  brother was murdered in a violent crime with a handgun, and the news about the Trayvon Martin trial has triggered many feelings of distress.

Sam from Detroit writes: Dear Ellen Anmuth Psychotherapist: My older brother was killed about nine months ago in a violent crime  with a handgun. I am too upset to go into all the details about his murder, but all this news about the Trayvon Martin case has caused me alot of suffering again. I was getting to the point where I could block out some of the bad memories, but all this news about this case on TV has made me remember alot of things that I am trying to forget. I am jumpy, have trouble sleeping, feel angry most of the time, and cannot seem to stop the bad memories. I think they call them flashbacks. Can you help? Thanks, Ellen.

Ellen Anmuth, Psychotherapist writes: Dear Sam, I am so sorry to hear of this tragedy in your life. Yes, you are right when you call the bad memories “flashbacks”. Sometimes, when we have experienced a trauma, like the violent murder of someone we love, recurrent thoughts, feelings and visualizations may recur. There is a phenomenon called “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder” that you may be experiencing. Would you be open for seeking some professional help to  better cope with this loss? If you call the social services department of a local hospital, they may be able to refer you to some help… either free help, or with a sliding scale based on your ability to pay. With the proper counselor, you could be helped to work through this very complicated bereavement process. I will explain more below.

I use the word “complicated bereavement” because it contrasts with “uncomplicated bereavement”. All deaths involve emotions and thoughts for most of us. For example, if a very elderly person dies of natural causes, and you had a happy relationship, you will grieve, but will likely not be tormented. On the other hand, if a young person is murdered, the survivors are left with a “complicated bereavement” process, needing to work through a series of complicated thoughts and feelings. For this reason, finding a licensed counselor who specializes in complicated bereavement processes would be a helpful strategy.

 

Ellen Anmuth Commentary: The Tornado in Moore, Oklahoma

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What can the notion of “Crisis” and “Loss” in this time of the devastating tornado of Moore, Oklahoma, teach us about gratitude and living in the moment?

The news today is filled with the sad story about the devastation of the tornado in Moore, Oklahoma. I lived in Miami in 1992, and I was in the direct path of Hurricane Andrew until, at the last moment, it veered south. After it hit, I visited friends in South Miami, and the streets were unidentifiable. It looked like a bomb was dropped. Some people theorized that Hurricane Andrew was not just a hurricane, but that there were tornadoes, as well, tearing up homes, cars, planes and trucks. Yes, airplanes were picked up and lifted to other locations. Even the National Hurricane Center went dark at one point, and lost its power.

My friends down there were in a “mental fog” for quite some time. A friend at the time was divorced woman with 3 sons under 8 years old, and she lived at other people’s homes for 8 weeks, until the water and power came back. She was one of the lucky ones that still had a home. Her 3 sons were quite affected by this.

I met a woman from Homestead, Florida at the Hurricane Relief Concert at a local stadium, where Gloria Estefan and other musicians donated their time to raise money. I asked her how her home was, and she told me it was no longer there, but she found her toilet hundreds of feet from her home’s foundation. Yes, toilets were lifted up and transported.

What happens to people in this crisis of devastation? Professionals call it Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. If they are dealing with friends or relatives who have been killed, there is a complex overlay of grieving on top of the “PTSD”.

What can moments like this teach us… those of us removed by watching it on TV? Perhaps this is a reminder to treasure the people in our lives, and to quote a wonderful author, Richard Carlson who passed away too soon, “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff”.