PSYCHOLOGICAL REACTION$ TO SEVERE TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES

Do najozbiljnijih psiholoških kriza dolazi kombinacijom dvaju patoloških faktora: ugroženošću života te gubitkom uda ili organa/ili tjelesne funkcij~. Osobe ozlijeđene u ratu osobito su izložene tim faktorima. Psihološke reakcije na traumatsku krizu odvijaju se u četiri faze: fazi šoka, fazi reakcije, fazi prilagodbe te fazi reorijentacije. Važno je da se ti faktori identificiraju i pomogne bolesniku na način najprimjereniji svakoj fazi, te utvrde psihološki obrambeni mehanizmi kao i tipični mentalni i psihosomatski simptomi, koji ovise o vrsti i opsegu traume, karakteristikama ličnosti i spremnosti za prihvaćanje liječenja.Most severe psychological crises are caused by a combination of two pathological factors: sel\u27ious threat to life, loss of limb or organ/or bodily func tion. Those injured in war are exposed to one of the most diff.icult psychological crises which is caused by: l) threat to his physical survival, 2) loss of limb and/or bodiliy function. Ps.ychological reactions to a traumatic crisis follow specific, well established steps: l. Shock p hase, 2. Reaction phase, 3. Adaption phase 4. Reorientation phase. I t is important to recognize these factors and help the afflicted person in ways appropriate to each specific phase. Otherwise a great ri-sk exis.ts that he will become fixated in one of the three first phases, which will result in serious negat ive consequences for the patient. The medical staff mut be able to recognize both psychological defence mechanisms that are normally activated within each phase as well as typical mental and psychosomatic symptoms. Our manner of treating the injured person must be appropriate at each phase in order that the working through of the crisis can proceed favorably. Defence mechanisms that are activated and the symptoms that a patient experiences are largely dependent on: the type and degree of the trauma, the personality characteristics of the injured person, the availability of appropriate and receptive treatment. Appropriate and involved, receptive treatment are essential for the patient\u27s psychological reorientation, but also for his somatic recovery