What is resilience?

Resilience is a person's ability to cope with the difficulties and stresses of life, and to emerge from them stronger than before, having learned something from the experience. The term also refers to a person's ability to return to his former situation after having experienced a lengthy period of deprivation, or stress.

Resilience is not an inborn trait. Like the body's immune system, it is affected by our mood and by the amount of help we receive from others. Also similar to our immune system, it also has high and low periods, and sometimes, during long stretches of difficult times, our natural resilience is faced with more challenges than usual.

I.T.P.

Curtas

"Stress = Doctor's Visits

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to 90 percent of all doctors visits in the U.S. may be triggered by a stress-related illness."

"Hospitalization Following the Loss of a Child

A study of more than one million Danish parents showed that losing a child under the age of 18 increased a woman's chances of being hospitalized for a psychiatric disorder by 78 percent. Fathers who lost a child had a 38 percent increased risk. In cases were a parent lost two or more children, the risk of being hospitalized more than tripled among women and more than doubled among men."

"Chronic Stress and Alzheimer_s Disease

New research has found that people who have a tendency to worry and experience chronic stress were more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. The relationship between stress and Alzheimer's was stronger in whites than African-Americans. Researchers suspect that chronic stress produces high levels of the hormone Cortisol, which eventually damages regions of the brain."

"25 Percent of Foster Children have PTSD

Results of a recent study of former foster children show that 25 percent have PTSD which is even higher than levels for war veterans."

T.A.A.E.T.S.

Criança portuguesa morreu

"Uma menina portuguesa faleceu no hospital para onde foi transportada" pelos bombeiros, confirmou uma fonte da secretaria de Estado das Comunidades. A vítima era uma das duas filhas gémeas da portuguesa de 27 anos que estava hospitalizada com diagnóstico reservado.

De acordo com o porta-voz da Embaixada de Portugal em França, a criança falecida chamava-se Patrícia, era filha de Vânia Mendes e irmã gémea de Yara.

Vânia Mendes, que estava há cerca de três semanas na capital francesa à procura de trabalho, ”já sabe que a filha faleceu e está a receber ajuda psicológica disponibilizada pelo Governo português", adiantou a fonte da secretaria de Estado.

Quanto ao seu estado de saúde, a mulher "está bem, embora com queimaduras". A outra criança apresenta também "queimaduras nos pés".

O Governo garante ainda suportar todas as despesas com a hospitalização das vítimas, "dada a escassez de recursos financeiros" da família.

Pelo menos 20 pessoas morreram, entre dez crianças, no incêndio que ocorreu hoje de madrugada no hotel Paris-Opera. Sessenta pessoas ficaram feridas, 11 das quais em estado grave.

Além de portugueses, encontravam-se no edifício cidadãos de nacionalidade francesa, senegalesa, costa-marfinense, norte-americanos, tunisinos e ucranianos. O hotel era habitado por 76 pessoas, a maioria imigrantes africanos.

O incêndio, um dos mais mortíferos em Paris nos últimos 20 anos, destruiu completamente o Paris-Opera, um hotel de seis pisos situado na rua Provence, junto às galerias Lafayette.

Com Lusa

Apoio Psicológico Tsunami "Sri Lanka"

Foram várias as acções levadas a cabo por portugueses na área do apoio psicológico às vitimas do Tsunami de 26 de Dezembro de 2004. Fica aqui a referência de um evento que irá ocorrer que divulgará a actividade de colegas psicólogos no Sri Lanka.

"Emergência Médica e Psicológica junto das vítimas do Tsunami
A 26 de Dezembro de 2004, uma catástrofe natural abateu-se na Ásia de tal forma que o seu impacto fez-se sentir por todo o mundo. Duas técnicas do CeFIPsi, com experiência em trasladações de cemitérios, foram para Batticaloa no Sri Lanka, prestar apoio psico-social durante 5 semanas. Trabalharam em parceria com uma equipa de voluntários gregos nos campos de refugiados, da qual dois médicos estarão também presentes no evento. A experiência profissional e pessoal de cada orador, com a visualização de várias fotografias, constitui a essência das comunicações, da partilha e da reflexão que se espera promover!


Horário e Local:Quarta-feira 11 de Maio das 14h às 19h na Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação da Universidade de Lisboa - FPCEUL.

mais info em cefipsi.com"

Bruno Brito

Para pensar e comentar

Assiste-se neste momento ao desejo de muitos Psicólogos em efectuarem intervenção em situações de incidentes críticos, é com bom grado que vimos aumentar o interesse nesta área.

No entanto, para quem é Psicólogo e conhece a orgânica do funcionamento de situações de emergência (leia-se experiência prática e conhecimento dos mecanismos de actuação de emergência, Bombeiros, INEM, Protecção Civil), facilmente percebe e aprende que a primeira coisa a fazer num local para onde fomos chamados ou que por acaso passámos e fomos prestar o nosso serviço, é avaliar as condições de segurança, ou seja, ....

..., por condições de segurança falamos da análise ao teatro de operações (muitas das vezes as vítimas que necessitam do nosso apoio não estão directamente envolvidas no acontecimento), quem mais chora não é muitas vezes quem mais precisa de ajuda, devemos conhecer os procedimentos dos outros técnicos, perceber o que estão a fazer e para quê, perceber se a nossa intervenção vai ter impacto ou estaremos perante uma situação na qual não devemos intervir (pois, parece me que mais importante que intervir é saber como e quando), entender que meios temos à disposição (daí ser importante estarmos como parte do funcionamento da equipa, tentem lá pedir a 1 bombeiro para irem para a ambulância se não houver 1 relação de respeito e empatia, imaginem-se vindos de fora).

Isto só para falar da análise inicial que terá sempre que ser feita, ainda acham que é assim tão fácil? Lembrem-se que trabalhamos com pessoas normais, que têm reacções normais a uma situação que não é normal.

Acham mesmo que qualquer Psicólogo que se preze vai pro terreno intervir? Quem tem o mínimo de conhecimento da área percebe que pouco sabe, e, que não é a formação que temos na faculdade, seja cognitivo-comportamental ou dinâmica que faz a diferença, isso serve bem mas para consultório, a verdade é que a maioria dos Psicólogos não está habituado a trabalhar com pessoas normais.

Deixo-vos 1 excerto do que se pensa por essa Europa fora, a intenção deste post é que o comentem quer concordem ou não! Partilhem a vossa opinião, não se escudem detrás daquilo que acham que sabem, e eu sinceramente acho que tenho muito para aprender!

"Experience learns that major accidents and disasters do not produce a huge amount of victims
with acute psychiatric disorders. There is no need for rushing a large number of psychologists
or psychiatrists to the scene. Nor should Psycho-Social Support in mass emergencies be
restricted to professionals giving individual critical incident care in large numbers. The
psychological reactions of people in the immediate aftermath of a mass emergency can be
considered to be "normal", considered the "abnormal" set of circumstances.
Persons involved in major accident or disaster have very practical and social needs which are
important as such. Those may also have a psychological impact, especially if they are not well
attended for." E.P.P.

Ana Margarida Santos

What is a crisis?

We all go through ups and downs in life, and we are usually capable of handling these situations ourselves. However sometimes, following a dramatic change or event in our lives, we find it difficult to cope. A crisis is a temporary emotional state that usually lasts a few weeks, in which we may experience a sense of shock or imbalance, caused by an event or change in our life that we may have difficulty handling.

The situation is defined as a crisis when our usual methods of problem-solving aren't working and all our attempts to resolve the situation using the tools we've used in the past have failed. We might even find it difficult to remember how we previously managed to handle difficult situations. Daily life suddenly seems threatening. Often we cannot understand why this happened to us and wonder if we are to blame for the situation.

Examples of events that may cause crisis are: the death of someone close to us, serious illness, relationship problems, being fired, being directly or indirectly exposed to a traumatic event such as a terror attack, traffic accident, physical or sexual attack and so on. While these events are indeed negative, it is important to note that positive changes in life, such as marriage, birth and moving can also cause feelings of crisis.

I.T.P.

How Can I Help Myself?

Coping after a traumatic event can be a difficult and draining task. Suddenly everyday routine seems threatening and frightening, and many people find it difficult to perform even the simplest of tasks. This situation affects not only the person who was directly exposed to the trauma but also those surrounding the survivor: family, friends and co-workers. On this page we will offer some advice that will help you cope in the first few days and weeks following the trauma, and get your life back on track. With help and support from loved ones, most survivors of psychological trauma recuperate without needing professional help. Having said that, we begin with…

1. Ask yourself if you need professional help -- Various symptoms such as fears, nightmares, repeated thoughts about the trauma and complaints about physical pains are normal symptoms that appear in the period following the trauma. However, in the event that these symptoms continue for more than a few weeks and intensify, or if they cause significant distress that interferes with daily functioning, seek professional help.
2. Speak to family and friends -- Support from family and friends has been proven to have a huge impact on coping with the trauma. It is important to share thoughts and feelings with those loved ones and friends. That said, if others try to talk about the trauma you've experienced but you find you are not interested, you have every right to gently refuse them.
3. Become experts in trauma -- One of the most important tools in dealing with trauma is knowledge about the subject. The more you know about trauma, its consequences and the ways to overcome it, the more likely you will be to handle what you are experiencing. A recommended way of doing this is by reading books and Internet sites on the subject. More information can be found at our
   
4. Maintain a healthy lifestyle -- Try to maintain a quiet and safe routine. Eat healthy, regular meals and make sure to get enough exercise.
5. Relaxation exercises -- Daily can help you deal with the and strain of everyday life. The more you practice, the more relaxed and balanced your body will become. This will have direct a impact on your mood and inner peace. Try to practice once or twice a day, for several minutes each time.
6. Avoid self-judgment -- In most cases of trauma, the survivors are not to blame for the situation they find themselves in. Don't be angry with yourself or blame yourself for what happened to you or for your behavior during and after the traumatic event. Even reactions such as anger, anxiety and depression are completely normal after trauma, and blaming yourself will only make things more difficult for you. In the event that you feel guilt, anger or sadness, share this with others as this may help you gain another viewpoint on your situation. Despite this, if you still feel that your behavior is out of control or goes beyond the normal boundaries (for instance, violent behavior that hurts you or others, suicidal thoughts or use of alcohol or drugs), you should seek professional help immediately.
7. Try to avoid making important decisions --In the days and weeks following the traumatic event you may experience many negative emotions. These feelings will pass in time and make way for more positive emotions and a return to normal life. Because of this, it is important to avoid making important decisions in the weeks after the traumatic event that you may regret later. Remind yourself that your feelings now, no matter how intense they may be, are only temporary, and it is entirely possible that decisions that you are considering will be perceived as mistakes a few weeks hence. Consult with family and friends, and try to see the larger picture in order to avoid regrets later on.

I.T.P.

What is trauma?

The original meaning of the Greek word trauma is wound, or damage to body tissue. Today we use the term "psychological trauma" to describe a condition in which a person has experienced a difficult event that has wounded his psyche. Recently, there has been growing awareness of the fact that people who are exposed to events such as terrorist attacks are not only physically injured, but mentally hurt as well. These are the shock victims of whom we often hear of after terrorist attacks. Other examples of traumatic events that may cause psychological trauma as well are injuries caused by car accidents, sexual assault or serious disease.

There are two factors which make an event traumatic:

• Threat of death or serious injury to us or to another person.
• Strong feeling of fear and helplessness.

The traumatic event is usually unpredictable and uncontrollable. It shatters our sense of security and leaves us vulnerable and agitated. The event does not have to be one in which a person is directly involved in; sometimes the news of the death of someone close to us, or watching a terrorist attack on TV can be traumatic.

Most of those exposed to a traumatic event recover after a few months, without needing professional help. The mind, like the body, knows how to recover from injuries and how to overcome them. The minority of those injured by psychological trauma needs professional help. Fortunately, there are short-term effective psychological treatments available. These therapies aim to help the psyche regain its natural curative powers.

Israel and Trauma

Sismos

Para quem pretende informações sobre o funcionamento dos sismos.

www-ext.lnec.pt/LNEC/DE/NESDE/o_que_sao_sismos.html

Sumatra earthquake underscores need for long-term help and disaster preparedness

Psychological impacts
Whilst large-scale loss of life and damage to property only occurred in Indonesia, the earthquake has amplified people’s worries and trauma across the Indian Ocean basin. Aid agencies are struggling to cope with the psychosocial impacts of the December tsunami and this earthquake will add to that.

ActionAid’s humanitarian and emergencies coordinator, Dr Unnikrishnan based in Sri Lanka, said: "The psychosocial impact of this earthquake is going to be a huge challenge for humanitarian agencies. Repeated tremors are having a long lasting impact on people’s psyche."

Disaster response
ActionAid also says that the tremors that have occurred over the past months call for a complete shift in the way the world responds to disasters like earthquake and tsunami.

Political commitment and long-term investment in disaster planning and reduction systems are necessary to ensure that communities can still respond quickly once these events become a more distant memory.

"Ordinary people responded fast and this is perhaps the best outcome of the December tsunami. The alert for this earthquake came in the middle of the night and people’s response was instant," said Unnikrishnan.

"We witnessed people moving away from the seaside. They were not taking chances this time. While the international community is still struggling to find resources for an early warning system, people are demonstrating an early response."

ActionAid UK