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Trauma and phobias
www.hgi.org.uk 
For further information about trauma and phobias, listen to the CD:Effective anxiety management,without drugsFor training in how to use the rewind technique, see theMindFields College workshop:
The Fast Trauma and Phobia CureThere are two kinds of bad memories. Some fade slowly, so that a year or so later the memory of the car crash, or whatever it was, is no longer intrusive, and in time it goes away only to be recalledas an ordinary narrative memory about some unfortunate incident you once experienced.Traumatic memories do not fade in the same way, and as time goes by they may become worse.These memories are usually connected with a life threatening or other serious event and are moredeeply embedded in the brain as a 'survival template'. If they are not treated they may continue tofire off strong emotional reactions at inappropriate moments and thereby cause trouble for the restof the sufferer's life.
What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
Trauma, as a medical term, refers to any injury or wound violently inflicted on the body. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating condition that often follows a terrifying physical,life threatening, or perceived as life-threatening, event. It causes the person who survived it to have persistent, frightening thoughts and memories, or flashbacks, of the ordeal. Persons with PTSDoften feel chronically, emotionally numb. Once referred to as “shell shock” or “battle fatigue”.About 25 per cent of people involved in major traumatising events go on to develop long-termPTSD symptoms. This percentage rises if life-threatening incidents are almost constantly repeated,as in front line fighting during sustained battles in war.
What kinds of event can cause it?
Violent attacks on the person. Rape. Sustained verbally aggressive attacks. Sudden illness eventslike a heart attack. Traffic accidents. Industrial injuries. Witnessing sudden violent death, as in traincrashes, bombings and war-zone incidents. Panic attacks where the person thinks he is dying. Infact, any event that triggers a strong fear (phobic) response can lead to PTSD. Children have evendeveloped PTSD symptoms from watching horror films on TV.
What is a phobia?
Any uncontrolled, persistent, irrational fear that is accompanied by a compelling desire to avoid theobject, activity, or situation that provokes the fear, is called a phobia. As far as the brain isconcerned it is no different from PTSD. The same neuronal pathways are involved.
How do you know if you have traumatic memories?
Traumatic memories may cause any or all of the following problems: panic attacks, intrusivememories, nightmares, sudden irrational anger outbursts, depression and other unpleasant emotionalstates, even intense flashbacks where you actually hallucinate going through the terrible event againas if it were in the present. One sufferer who was traumatised by experiences in the Falklands War (who also experienced flashbacks) described it as “a constant, silent churning” in the back of hismind.
Why are PTSD memories different from the others?
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