Drawing on personal and professional experience, this book aims to challenge and change unhelpful attitudes to those who suffer traumatic reactions, to show that they are not signs of weakness or a personality disorder, and that there is understanding and help available for those who suffer.
The author has worked as a counsellor, practising the psychological debriefing that he describes in detail when dealing with many different kinds of traumatic events. He describes theories and methods used for understanding traumatic stress and outlines the history of treatments offered, up to the present. There are also descriptions of the coping strategies used by professionals in the emergency and social services, which are also found in civilian organisations and in society in general.
The book describes the authors personal experience of counselling and psychological debriefing, including prison riots, armed robberies, traffic accidents, rape, aid agency personnel, bomb disposal, military families held hostage, and the Army War Graves Registration Team.
The diagnostic criteria and symptoms of post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic stress disorder are described, with examples. Although post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic stress disorder cannot be understood without reference to the militarys expoerience of war and combat, examples are given from both military and civilian experiences.
Helpful resources are listed: organisations offering help and support to sufferers and their families, and key books.
