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However, it is important to acknowledge that a significant percentage, up to 80%, of children and their families who have faced life-threatening illnesses, injuries, or painful medical procedures may experience traumatic stress reactions. Persistent traumatic stress symptoms can be experienced by approximately 20-30% of parents and 15-25% of children and siblings, negatively impacting their daily functioning, adherence to treatment, and overall recovery.

If these traumatic stress reactions persist, they can impair day-to-day functioning, affect adherence to medical treatment, and impede optimal recovery.

Here are ways that youth have described the impact of community violence in their lives:

Managing the Impact of Trauma and Building Resilience for Families and Teachers:
Resilience, in the context of medical trauma, refers to the ability to recover from traumatic events. Here are some key points to consider:

By actively managing the impact of trauma and fostering resilience, both families and teachers play instrumental roles in supporting the healing process for students.

It is a deliberate and unsolicited action with the intent of inflicting social, emotional, physical or psychological harm, often to those perceived as being less powerful. It is a form of aggression and harassment that prevents individuals from enjoying a safe environment. 

How:

Bullying can be done through physical (hitting), verbal (name calling) and social (embarrassment, spreading rumors). Further bullying can be through the use of online or cyberbullying methods such as posting harmful images or messages to others.    

Being bullied can affect individual’s self-image, social interactions or school performance which in turn can lead to mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. Studies also suggest that bullying can lead to post traumatic stress disorder for those affected. 

Symptoms: 

Some symptoms that children might be affected by bullying include but not limited to; 

Stress, anxiety, poor academic performance, self-injury, eating disorders, loneliness changes in sleep and school avoidance 

Educate:

-Help children understand what is bullying and what forms it takes.

-Send clear messages that school bullying is unacceptable and use consequences to teach bullies to build empathy 

For those being bullied:

-Walk away and find help. If you leave the area this can defuse the situation 

-If you are a bystander show that you do not appreciate the bullying behavior, or help to get the bullied person away without resorting to violence. 

Teacher strategies:

-Listen to bullied children and provide advice or role-plays to help the student in knowing how to react in future situations

-work with other teachers, students or parents to resolve bullying disputes 

2.     Social Isolation:
This tends to occur in more withdrawn, socially inept children who experience social isolation or lack of support around them. These children may be more vulnerable to abusers who give them attention, love and a sense of belonging Impact.

3.       Abilities or power imbalance: Perpetrators of child sexual abuse often seek to exploit their position of power and authority over children. This power imbalance can exist within families, communities, institutions, or other settings where adults have authority over children.

4.       Lack of Awareness:
Children may not fully understand the concept of sexual abuse or may lack awareness of inappropriate behavior. Abusers take advantage of this lack of awareness to manipulate and exploit children.

5.       Grooming: 
An abuser may resort to deception in order to gain a child's trust and create an emotional bond. Grooming involves creating short-term or even long-term relationships with children and their families, creating opportunities for abuse while minimizing suspicion

Feeling isolated. They may avoid family or friends or feel a sense of disconnection. This can increase the general feelings of disconnection and loneliness that can occur after a traumatic event.

Changes in mood may include a lack of interest in activities that were once enjoyable or ongoing feelings of sadness or hopelessness. It can also include difficulty experiencing positive emotions or feeling emotionally numb.

A changeable mood involves irritable or angry than usual. One may find that everything is irritating them, or they may experience anger or even aggression.

5. Severe Anxiety

Experiencing heightened anxiety symptoms such as rapid heart rate, sweaty palms, or a feeling of panic. 

Involve personality disorders, such as borderline personality disorder, characterized by patterns of instability and impulsivity.

Feelings of self-disgust, boredom with life, disinterest in people and surroundings, and a sense of disappointment can contribute to self-cutting behaviors and thoughts of suicide. These distressing feelings may arise in the aftermath of traumatic experiences.

The common traits resulting from trauma caused by sexual abuse include a lack of security and issues with trust. Establishing a strong basis of social and emotional safety in the classroom becomes imperative to promote positive results and guarantee both physical and emotional well-being. Utilize strategies such as introducing classroom contracts, integrating curricula focused on anti-bullying or community building, promptly addressing conflicts and hurtful interactions, and actively instructing and displaying empathy and active listening skills. These actions collectively foster an environment conducive to learning and personal development. 

From teachers’ perspective, increase teachers’ self-awareness and trauma competency: 

Elevate teachers’ understanding of trauma from sextual abuse including symptoms and effects. To establish connections with students and their families to access relevant resources. Embrace strategies like pursuing professional development focused on interacting with specific identity groups, sharing supportive resources with fellow educators, establishing ties with community organizations, and consistently engaging in self-assessment and practice trauma-responsive approach. 

<The Psychological Consequences of Sexual Trauma> by  

Nicole P. Yuan; Mary P. Koss; Mirto Stone

Examples of chronic trauma include:

While CPTSD is often associated with chronic trauma in childhood, adults who experience chronic trauma can also develop the condition.

Once the danger passes, your parasympathetic nervous system provides inner calm, otherwise known as your “rest and digest” mode.

At this point, normal cognitive function returns, and you can go back to your day with relatively few side effects, perhaps only feeling a little jittery for a while, or a bit on edge.

The limbic system stays engaged most of the time. It’s a coping mechanism to try and stay safe in the face of ongoing adversity. It’s an experience of constantly being in survival mode, or on edge.

Over time, it becomes a “new normal” for the brain and body.

Somatic (bodily) symptoms, like unexplained headaches or an upset stomach, are also common with complex trauma. Since the body is under chronic stress, it can lower your immune system and lead to a range of chronic health conditions.

It usually stems from trauma you experienced in childhood, though it can develop from trauma in adulthood as well.

Recovery from complex trauma can be a gradual process. But having a range of tools and self-care strategies can make the process a whole lot easier.

It’s a good idea to keep a few deep breathing exercises up your sleeve for those tough moments. This is a direct way to let your body know that you’re safe. Try these:

A consistent mindfulness practice can help too. A 2018 study involving veterans with PTSD found that a regular meditation practice can reduce symptoms of trauma. Yoga has shown similar results
Trusted Source, showing that both can be an effective complement to talk therapy.

It might help to access trauma-informed yoga sessions, where the yoga instructor is aware that trauma can be stored in the body, and that some body movements can trigger emotional reactions. They can help you navigate these reactions in a healing way.

Here are some lifestyle adjustments that can make complex trauma more manageable: