Page 42 - Total War on PTSD

support for these individuals. They are soldiers in a war on life itself. Many of these individuals will come out of this pandemic with intense post-trauma symptoms.
For the general public, including those who never actually obtain the virus, the general lifestyle alteration and the fear that is felt will lead to a trauma response. Some people will lose their jobs, homes, cars, and this is a trauma. Not only are many facing that possibility, but they are also facing it without knowing when things will ever return to “normal”. Additionally, some of this population are Veterans already suffering pre-existing PTSD.
According to psychologist Elyssa Barbash, “Not everyone who experiences a trauma, or even the exact same situation, will perceive or respond to it the same. Likewise, not everyone will experience post-trauma symptoms or go on to develop PTSD. But for those do experience post- trauma symptoms, know that it is normal to feel and display the symptoms of PTSD in the first month that follows”. This is called acute stress disorder and can often go away after a month.
However, medical research shows that long term over the last 40 years forced quarantine can have long-lasting effects that can lead to PTSD symptoms and severe depression. Studies in Toronto analyzing the psychological consequences of previous SARS outbreaks found that “29 percent of those quarantined showed PTSD symptoms while a further 31 percent had symptoms of depression. It’s not only the uncertainty and isolation” (Abdou & Leila, 1970). Individuals lost their daily routines, work or study environments and stability. In the previous study, many individuals were forced to stay in hostile family environments during quarantine that also damaged their needed stability and mental health.
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