Running head: RELATIONSHIPS AND TRAUMA RECOVERY 1
RELATIONSHIPS AND TRAUMA RECOVERY 2
Relationships and Trauma Recovery
Name
Course
Professor
Date
Trauma recovery is essential in a society where people face different problems and atrocities in their lives. The community plays a critical part in the recovery process and it’s essential in giving the trauma patients a chance at a good and productive life. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a common disorder among people in the society since it can affect people in any age. However, PTSD is more pronounced among rape victims and soldiers in war. Part of treating the entire person with PTSD is developing a community of support. Including community as strength and a need in treatment planning is important. The community has played an important part in well-being since the beginning of time and may be something that is overlooked. Isolation is easy in this online world. Making new friends, being transparent, connecting with old friends and being vulnerable can be scary. This paper will support this need for community reasoning with stories, expert opinion, and qualitative research.
PTSD is a mental condition that is triggered by a witnessing or experiencing a terrifying event in life that changes an individual to the point that they lose connection with reality. The symptoms of PTSD are sleeplessness, nightmares, anxiety, and flashbacks that cause harm to a patient since they lose any semblance of reality in the society. Combat trauma and rape victims are the major triggers of PTSD in the society although there are other cases when people experience or witness traumatic events in their lives. Many cases in the present society are found among soldiers from combat who have witnessed or experienced many traumatic events and cannot adjust to the normal societal structures. The people who are most in need of PTSD are children who have experienced or witnessed traumatic events in the lives. The society needs to embrace and look for ways to create a good environment that can nurture and develop the traits of the children and ensure that they have a normal life. Treatment for PTSD does not always apply to all people since it requires therapy sessions that are aimed at ensuring that one can learn to live with the condition. However, it is important to ensure that the systems adopted are embraced by the community at large for the patients to have a sense of belonging and gain trust in the society again.
It is important to define spirituality in the society and how it embodies and connects with people. Storkey (1995) understands, “We are not isolated individuals, but we are locked into an intrinsic and inescapable relation both with God and with others whom God has made (p. 67).” Chanda and Furman (2010) defines, “Spirituality refers to a universal and fundamental human quality involving the search for a sense of meaning, purpose, morality, well-being, and profundity in relationships with ourselves, others, and ultimate reality, however, understood.” Spirituality is a sixth sense sort-of-speak. It is a sense that searches and experiences beyond what is tangible or irreducible in life. Like my skin longs for touch; my eyes long for beautiful; my nose longs for a sweet smell; my ears long for a melody; my tongue longs for chocolate; my spirit longs for meaning and purpose in this world. I, because of my spirit, want to mean something to others. I want to have a purpose that benefits others, I want intimacy.
An entity cannot be defined by what it wants, though. So to understand spirituality is to understand where this want comes from, where the desire for connection comes from. The only thing that can want for something is a part of a whole, a part wanting to be joined with its whole. Spirituality is an aspect of us that says, “We are not alone but that we are a part of a whole.” Romans 12:4-7 “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” Spirituality is that place where the spirit is holistic with our desires, our meaning, and is altruism. As Canda and Furman (2010) explain, ““Spirit” comes from the Latin, spiritus, referring to breath, spirit, and life force.” To be absent from our spirituality is to suffocate slowly. A reality, as opposed to Spirituality, uses the senses to experience sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. Spirituality is using the senses to collaborate an understanding of an experience in its totality. Spirituality deciphers the meaning of what is happening. It can find the transcendent purpose of an experience. To access our spirituality, some call it being centered, is to connect with all and seek the truth. In this “center” is where purpose, value, and belonging are found. When our purpose, value and belonging are illuminated, we see that we are a part of the whole. We are completely open to connecting with our authentic self, others and all. Spirituality is predefined since people are made in the image of God the creator. Spirituality is innate and can be harnessed and used towards a greater cause in the society. God through the Trinity of being is believed to be the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Men are created in God’s image meaning that they are not exclusive but inclusive and as a result can connect with others in the community to form a wider society. The community needs to be human and be developed from these individual aspects that form a Trinitarian form. It has meant that people are connected and make a better connection among the society as they look to engage and help others to uplift the society.
Spreading hope to others in the society is a spiritual virtue. The world has a large number of people suffering from PTSD and the community needs to ensure that they spread messages of hope and togetherness in the society (Lambert, 2013). The outpour from others to help and support these groups rebuild, or alleviate their problems is massive. People who move from their comfort zone leaving friends and family to go to the remote and in some cases highly dangerous areas depict spiritual aspect and concepts through these acts. These members giving to the society through their spiritual acts showcase humanity and how connected members of the society are to the good cause. It is inspirational and moving for others in different areas or communities who see the demonstration of selfless acts as people look to elevate others. Spirituality defines these acts as they showcase the massive outpour that can be identified in a higher being (Koenig, 2012). It is, therefore, essential that as a community people embrace the members who have PTSD especially those who are affected by the condition while trying to help others in the society. The war veterans or combat trauma is one of the groups that should be supported since they are affected by these conditions while trying to secure the lives of their people.
It is important to note that although these acts are innate in humans, they are defined by the spirituality and dedication to the larger community that can be identified in the individual acts. People were created in the image of God and these aspects are spiritually harnessed as individuals look to develop the individual qualities in the community (Lambert, 2013). Most of the communities believe in a higher and more powerful being that oversees and looks after them. Spirituality is universal as people believe that they are accountable and inspired by the higher beings. The acts of giving and spreading hope are only inspired by these acts as people look to ensure that they do according to their beliefs.
Forgiveness and reconciliation processes are also essential in the recovery process for people who have experienced trauma. Forgiveness and reconciliation are innate sense only after one wants to forgive and reconcile with another can these acts be actualized (Connor et al, 2003). Forgiveness and reconciliation after one has witnessed unfathomable horrors by another can be difficult, and it is only possible through spirituality. It is the responsibility of the community to help others during these processes and look to ensure that the society is formed around the best models and aspects that are needed in the larger community. A community that supports people with PTSD to go through the therapy processes and creates a good environment so that they can cope with their condition and gains traits that can help in the treatment process. Embracing and communicating with the PTSD patients in the community helps in giving them a chance towards developing new relationships and coping with their condition. The power of the community and togetherness in the approaches and models used by members of the society is critical in developing forgiveness and reconciliation to oneself or to others that is the first step towards healing.
Advocating for justice is also important in a community especially for people who have witnessed or experienced terrible horrors. Justice is the bedrock of development since a society only thrives when there is a fair and transparent method for punishing and dealing with the wrongdoers. Advocating for justice in societies where these aspects have been corrupted is a spiritual virtue that is needed for PTSD patients (Koenig, 2012). The PTSD patients need to develop trust in the justice system as it a prerequisite for security in every society. Once people believe in a just society they are in a good position to reconcile with others and start the healing process. God is just and gives the people a chance to do well through their activities and actions in the world. It is therefore, essential to ensure that the models that are represented are born out of the spiritual aspects and controls that are developed in the society accordingly. Justice is advocated and developed by the society at large. Individuals cannot develop an incorruptible system unless the whole community is backing the model and forms the best basis that is essential for giving the people a chance to develop as a unit.
Appreciation for others in the society and the larger world is also a spiritual act that is essential in helping people coping with PTSD (Connor et al, 2003). Appreciating others from different backgrounds and communicating and loving them are a massive aspect that should be critically developed and assessed in the society. PTSD people need to feel loved and appreciated in everything that they do in the society. It is critical to ensure that the community does not isolate these people due to their condition but rather appreciates and welcomes them to their society. In every society, PTSD patients need to ensure that they develop tools that are aimed at giving individuals the best models and processes in the society accordingly. Appreciating others is one of the methods that can be used in giving a chance to people with PTSD to develop and cope with the condition. Isolation has negative effects on the treatment process and doctors advocate for people living with PTSD to be under constant observation and company. They need to be appreciated and supported by the whole community especially children who have to face the world with the condition. Different tools and models are needed in the societal structure that are essential in creating a working model and principle that is essential for individuals living with PTSD. It is a spiritual act when people are appreciating and showing gratitude towards others. Advocating for these acts are also important as spiritual acts that are showcased by the aspects that are developed in the society.
Tolerance and acceptance of people with PTSD is also an essential trait that should be developed and harnessed to help people with PTSD disorder. Most societies are diverse with people coming from different backgrounds and having different beliefs and attitudes. PTSD patients need to be understood and given the best form of care by the members of the society. These aspects are only possible if the community develops tolerance and acceptance for people with PTSD. They need to be brought to the fold and involved rather than segregated due to their condition as it helps in making the recovery process faster. It is therefore, pertinent to ensure that tolerance and acceptance of others in the society are virtues that should be present in every member of the larger society. It is important for every member to appreciate others and look to the inner spiritual strength that is important in developing these traits. Spirituality is embedded in these virtues and is important in giving the community members the resolve and strength to work towards developing the traits in their societal structure accordingly.
Spirituality is also important among leaders and other members of the community helping people living with PTSD. Leadership is an important trait since it ensures that one inspires others towards a similar cause. Spirituality is important in giving a chance to individuals in the society and creating a working approach that is essential in developing the required traits and models among members towards developing and creating a good environment for people living with PTSD (Connor et al, 2003). Spirituality is significant in developing these traits among leaders and the larger society to ensure that they are responsible and nurture and grow others in the process.
A leader is a beam of hope since they inspire others and develop their potential towards a single cause. People are created in the image of God and leaders act as the head among the people towards different duties and aspects. A society that has a good leader develops since it is laid on a strong foundation and vision for the larger society and goals in the society. A community is also an aggregate of different parts that make the whole and leadership is one of the importance aspects that are needed in every good community. Communities are functional models that are created and strengthened by the background and virtues that have been developed (Milner, 2006). People living with PTSD need proper care that can only be channeled if individuals have a like-minded model and cause to achieve their set goals. Leaders in the society need to ensure that the society creates a good environment for the healing process through creating a working model and system that is essential for individuals within the society accordingly.
Patience is also a virtue that is important in the treatment and coping with PTSD. God created the world in Seven days and yet he had the power to command all the different aspects of creation to occur in a single day. Man who was created by God’s hand and likeness were created on the final sixth day. Patience is, therefore, a spiritual and important value if the community or social worker is to be successful in their work. Patience is important since it ensures that one has the ability to endure trials in the roles or work that they do for the society. PTSD patients need to be given and monitored through patient traits since they are sometimes split from reality. It is essential for the people in the community to understand and look towards being patient with the treatment process that is essential in the models and systems that are created within the society accordingly. Patience is a spiritual value that should be present in every member of the community as they look to develop a better community. Patience ensures that one is prepared to take the needed time and attend to every detail before making any decisions on the best tools that they need to develop in the society accordingly. These changes are important and pertinent in giving the best and systematic processes among members of the society.
Communities need to develop policies and statements that are geared towards developing well among its members and developing spiritual virtues. In every organization or social work that is done in the community, it needs to be laid on a foundation that is grounded in spiritual values (Connor et al, 2003). A community that understands that there is a higher power and control that is important in developing and giving them a chance in the society to develop their models and tools is critical in the larger society. Spirituality ensures that all members aim at a common goal that is compounded on the good of others within the society. Spirituality ensures that the society members feel loved, appreciated and secure in the company of others. The society is calm and very peaceful since every individual in the society looks to get the best in others who make up the community.
In conclusion, spirituality is a critical value in helping people cope with PTSD in the community. Spirituality and the belief in a higher power are essential in giving the people hope and appreciation for all people in the community a factor that is every essential in a society that has people coping with PTSD. PTSD can be managed and treated in the community, however, the members of the community need to ensure that they contribute towards this cause and support these processes. Every person deserves to be loved and cared for, and PTSD should not be a premise that is used to segregate people but should see them given more support.
References
Canda, E. & Furman, D. (2010). Spiritual diversity in social work practice: The heart of helping. 2nd Ed. Oxford: University of Oxford Press.
Connor, K. M., Davidson, J. T., & Li-Ching, L. (2003). Spirituality, resilience, and anger in
healing power of relationships. Candice M. Monson and Steffany J. Fredman. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 22(6). doi:10.1080/10926771.2013.792202
Koenig, H. (2012). Commentary: Why do research on spirituality and health, and what do the
Lambert, J. E. (2013). Cognitive-Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for PTSD: Harnessing the
Milner, V. (2006). Uncommonly sensible social work practice: Using depths of conventional
results mean?. Journal of Religion & Health, 51(2). doi:10.1007/s10943-012-9568-y
Storkey, E. (1996). The search for intimacy. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Pub.
survivors of violent trauma: A community survey. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 16(5).
wisdom and spirituality to match what we know with what we sense. Social Work Review, 18(3).
