Ask the Therapist
PTSD from Traumatic Illness
How is the evaluation, treatment and prognosis different for someone who
remains immersed in chronic trauma than for someone whose traumatic experience(s) are in the past? Also, is there any difference in the
evaluation and treatment of people who have suffered trauma as a consequence of physical illness rather than an external traumatic event like accident,
abuse or war? Are there any therapists who specialize in the treatment of illness-related trauma? I am a 42 year old woman who has experienced
chronic life-threatening medical problems for the past 7 years. Finally I have obtained what I believe to be full diagnosis of my illnesses, but
treatment is far from complete or reliable and I continue to be vulnerable to frequent, sudden and debilitating relapses. As a consequence of the
length of time I've experienced trauma, a great variety of daily activities trigger crippling flashbacks. After numerous near-death experiences I am no
longer afraid of dying, but I have a tremendous fear of being in agony and unable to obtain help for myself. Is there any effective therapy for
someone who will inevitably continue to experience this kind of trauma? Finally, over the years I have become aware of numerous other people in my
position, yet I am unaware of any PTSD literature that addresses these issues. Can you offer an explanation for this apparent oversight?
An oversight it is. Having dealt with many individuals who experience PTSD as a consequence of either acutely debilitating or chronic illness, I am surprised. I suspect the reason is that medical professionals fail to see the possibility of coincident mental disorganization that coincides with chronic physical illness. No documentation, no literature...unfortunately that's the way it works.
So, to address you question/concern directly...the answer is yes. PTSD can arise
from traumatic physical disturbance or illness, whether it is acute or long-term.
