Role Of Trauma In War

Trauma and Recovery when a Loved One is Killed in War
Introduction
There are may forms of crisis, trauma, and greif. Each of these terms are often misused, misunderstood, and used interchangably. Crisis, trauma, and grief process are different from each other, as are the recovery processes. The trauma, supsiquent crisis, and grief that occurs when a loved one is killed in war is unique from other forms of crisis, trauma, and grief due to the unique features of the loss and circumstances involved. Current access to proper counselling services fallowing the death of a loved one during war is limited. Increased access to immediate and appropriate crisis counselling can assist in the healing and recovery process of loved ones grieving someone
Trauma is more than a state of crisis. It is a normal reaction to abnormal events that overwhelm a person’s ability to adapt to life – where you feel powerless” (p. 189). Furthermore, the level of trauma an indivudal experiences can vary depending on “the person’s personality, spiritual or religious beliefs, culture and the meaning they ascribe to the trauma and event itself” (Wright, pp. 190-191). Factors that cause trauma are numerous and include stress, natural disasters, man-made disasters, work related, sexual or physical abuse, witnessing the death or injury of another individual, the murder of a loved one, being involved in a traumatic situation such as war, and even being involved in a helping position such as a paramedic or firefighter (Wright, pp.
In fact, Wright (2011) states, that “Trauma and crisis receive the attention, but at the heart of trauma and crisis is loss” ( p. 59). The ultimate loss is the loss of a loved one. Parent, spouse, sibling, friend, and even the death of a pet can all cause the love one to experience grief. To overcome this type of loss, the bereaved must first bridge the past, which means the bereaved must begin to accept the death of the loved one. They must also learn to live in the present and find a new path for their future without the loved one (Wright, pp. 248-253). Some goals that the bereaved should have include identifying secondary losses and resolving unfinished business, discover personal capabilities and identify where they are lacking in their personal coping skills, understanding what they are experiencing and that their grief will affect all areas of their life, understand the grief process, and also grief for any dreams, expectations or fantasies they may have had for the future. Additional goals include replenishing spiritually, socially, and physically; as well as, prevent unwise decisions at this difficult time, and encouraging new relationships and growth (Wright, pp. 253-255). Simply put, the tasks of mourning a loved one are vast, but begin with accepting the reality of the loss, experiencing the pain of grief from the loss, and withdrawing emotional energy from the deceased and reinvesting it in