‘Covid-19 pandemic likely to leave many traumatised’

The current Covid-19 pandemic has introduced a great deal of additional uncertainty in our lives and this is likely to leave many vulnerable people traumatised, warned Dr Marshinee Naidoo, a psychiatrist who practises at Akeso Alberton mental health facility in Johannesburg.

“The fallout brought about by the pandemic has resulted in additional potential for traumatic experience, including the stress if a loved one becomes ill and needs hospitalisation, having to live in isolation from your extended family and friends, or having a relationship fail under the strain caused by uncertainty and fear. For others, the traumatic stress may be caused by ongoing financial hardships, events such as being retrenched and anxiety about the future.”

“Most people experience some degree of distress after a traumatic event, or a period of trauma, in their lives, as they try to come to terms with it, but after a period of a few weeks, or months, they tend to recover from the shock and do not develop lasting mental health difficulties as a result of it,” she added.

“However, a sizable number of people, between 18 percent and 25 percent, experience severe ongoing symptoms in the months or even years following such an event or period of trauma. When symptoms last longer than four weeks, it may indicate a deeper level of psychological distress known as post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. PTSD severely disrupts mental health and can substantially restrict the person’s ability to function,” Dr Naidoo explained.

“PTSD presented a major challenge to our mental healthcare system even before the Covid-19 pandemic, which I believe will only serve to exacerbate the incidence of PTSD and the pressure on the system. We will therefore need to pay much greater attention to this condition as a nation going forward,” she said.

Dr Naidoo explained that each person’s response to traumatic situations is highly complex and unique. Certain individuals may be so sensitive to trauma that they may even experience news footage they see on television as deeply disturbing.

“It is not always easy to establish who is most at risk of developing PTSD but individuals who experienced a great deal of trauma early on in their childhood have been shown to be particularly vulnerable to being re-traumatised later in life and suffering ongoing PTSD symptoms,” noted Dr Naidoo. “Many individuals are unfortunately faced with not just one traumatic experience in their lifetime, but several. The South African Stress and Health [SASH] study survey found that 56 percent of respondents had experienced more than one trauma. Multiple traumatisation, or ongoing re-traumatisation can occur over a long period of time and can have a devastating impact on their lives.”

Dr Naidoo said other individuals who may be at high risk of PTSD are those who are continually exposed to ongoing traumatic situations in their line of work, such as paramedics, nurses and other healthcare workers working at the frontline of the pandemic. So what could be indications that one has PTSD?

Dr Naidoo said that many trauma survivors avoid talking about what happened, feel emotionally numb when they think about the trauma, and withdraw from contact with other people. Other symptoms may include depression, anxiety disorders, drug dependency, distressing thoughts and memories of the traumatic event, sleeping difficulties, guilt, and hyper-alertness to any signs of danger.

“PTSD can be diagnosed and successfully treated by a multi-disciplinary team of healthcare practitioners, including psychiatrists and psychologists, who are experienced in the management of the condition. They will work to assist the individual to regain a sense of control over their lives,” explained Dr Naidoo.

Individuals suffering from PTSD usually require long-term treatment that may include a combination of medical treatments and therapies to assist in their recovery. The psychiatrist may prescribe medication to assist in managing symptoms such as depression and anxiety. One-on-one psychotherapy with a psychologist experienced in the treatment of mental trauma, as well as group therapy sessions, have also shown good results.

“Human beings in general have a remarkable capacity to adapt to the most extreme stressors and we tend to have reserves of strength we never thought imaginable. Working within the field of traumatic stress, I am constantly reminded that there is a most extraordinary strength in the human spirit. Sometimes, however, we need professional help and support to take back’ our lives, and we should not be afraid to acknowledge this to ourselves and to seek such assistance, particularly at this challenging time,” concluded Dr Naidoo.

For assistance, please contact the Akeso helpline on 0861 435 787 or email info@akeso.co.za.