After the surge, the psychological impact of Covid-19 is hitting home

Having dealt with the months-long terror of crammed ICUs, unavailable PPE and the fear of getting infected, the coronavirus crisis is taking its toll on healthcare workers' mental health. 

 

 

After 15 years as an emergency doctor, Anand Swaminathan was familiar with the traumatic experiences that came along with his job – treating victims of shootings, stabbings and terrible incidents of domestic violence. But it was the relentless, months-long influx of patients during the Covid-19 pandemic that made him seek therapy for the first time.

 

 

Exploring the Maladaptive Cognitions of Moral Injury

Moral injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are two prominent mental health problems that affect military personnel. Moral injury results when the individual is exposed to a situation or event that violates their moral code; however, PTSD results when there is a substantial threat of harm. Moral injury is a relatively new construct within the literature with research starting in the late 2000s. Although distorted cognitions are core components of PTSD symptomatology, there has been no research of cognitions in moral injury.

 

Morally Injurious Experiences of Combat Exposed Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan : Moderating Effects of Self-Forgiveness on Feelings of Shame and Guilt

Moral injury is a construct developed to explain a unique symptom profile of individuals who may have perpetrated, witnessed, or learned about events that transgress their held moral beliefs. Among combat exposed Veterans, particular attention has been focused on the ambiguous nature of recent military conflicts and the increased moral conflicts associated with more recent, unconventional combat tactics and strategies.

 

Homicide as a Source of Posttraumatic Stress? : A Meta-Analysis of the Prevalence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder After Committing Homicide

There is a growing body of literature on the diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after committing homicide that has examined the prevalence of this phenomenon among individuals who have been convicted, but these studies considerably vary. The present study was the first meta-analysis to synthesize scientific evidence regarding the prevalence of offense-related PTSD among convicted killers. A total of 691 articles were identified through an initial screening process, and the final analysis included 11 studies that met the analysis criteria.

 

Daring to Ask, Listen, and Act : A Snapshot of the Impacts of COVID-19 on Women and Girls' rights and sexual and reproductive health

The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic is drastically changing the way that millions of women, men, girls and boys around the world lead their lives. Jordan, a country hosting more than 700 000 refugees in a troubled region, has like most other countries in the world been deeply affected by the shock of COVID- 19 to its economy and social system.

Complicated grief following job loss : Risk factors for its development and maintenance

Increasing evidence shows that job loss can lead to symptoms of complicated grief (CG). However, little is known about which factors relate to the development and maintenance of CG symptoms following job loss. This study aimed to examine risk factors for the development and maintenance of job loss-related CG symptoms.

 

Exclusion of Suicidal Participants From Randomized Controlled Trials for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder : A Meta‐Analysis

There has been a lack of consensus regarding whether to include or exclude participants with suicidal ideation (SI) from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) psychotherapy clinical trials and, until recently, how best to report adverse events related to suicide risk. Without consistent reporting or evaluation of SI as an outcome, clinical practice guidelines are limited in their ability to recommend interventions for this common co‐occurrence. In the present meta‐analysis, we compared randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of PTSD psychotherapies, based on their suicide exclusion criteria.

Absence of definitive scientific evidence that benzodiazepines could hinder the efficacy of exposure‐based interventions in adults with anxiety or posttraumatic stress disorders : A systematic review of randomized clinical trials

Background and Objectives

Exposure‐based interventions (EBIs) are the first‐line treatment for anxiety disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder. Although common, the association between EBIs and benzodiazepines is controversial. Therefore, we systematically reviewed the literature to evaluate if benzodiazepines could undermine the efficacy of EBIs in treating these disorders.

 

Methods

Social Embeddedness of Firefighters, Paramedics, Specialized Nurses, Police Officers, and Military Personnel : Systematic Review in Relation to the Risk of Traumatization.

Background: Firefighters, paramedics, specialized nurses working in Intensive Care Units (ICUs), Operating Rooms (OR), and Emergency Rooms (ER), police officers and military personnel are more frequently exposed to potentially traumatic events than the general population; they are considered high-risk professionals. To reduce the risk of traumatization it is of great importance to be embedded in a social environment with supportive relationships.

 

A new treatment approach for PTSD : High-Intensive Narrative Exposure Therapy (HI-NET)

Current international guidelines recommend Trauma-Focused Therapies (TFT) to treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, non-response and dropout rates have shown to be substantial. TFT, delivered in a highly intensive dose may lead to a more efficacious symptom reduction and lower dropout rates. This article describes an inpatient treatment program with Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET), called High-Intensive NET (HI-NET).

 

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