Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the very few mental disorders that requires by definition an environmental context—a traumatic event or events—as a precondition for diagnosis. Both trauma sequelae and recovery always occur in the context of social–interpersonal contexts, for example, in interaction with a partner, family, the community, and the society. The present paper elaborates and extends the social–interpersonal framework model of PTSD.

The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of traumatic stress studies from the three Baltic countries—Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia—and reveal how specific social context contributes to the topics relevant in traumatic stress field in the region. Traumatic stress studies in the Baltic countries are closely related to the complicated history of the region. It was only since the restoration of independence of the Baltic States in the 1990s when traumatic stress studies could emerge.

The extent to which we engage with our social world has been central to our survival as a species and, accordingly, is relevant to how we cope with trauma and adversity. This review summarises current knowledge about the importance of social connections from an evolutionary perspective, as well as integrating this with a discussion of prevailing attachment theories. Experimental research supporting the potential benefit of attachments for managing adversity are presented, along with a review of how these benefits are moderated by individual differences in attachment style.

There is a lack of knowledge about the state of affairs of the trauma treatments in Europe. To start to fill in this gap, key persons from seven European countries—Georgia, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, and Turkey—accepted the invitation to give their expert opinion on the state of affairs in their country at an invited panel discussion at the XIV 2015 ESTSS Conference in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Politieke ambtsdragers worden regelmatig geconfronteerd met bedreigingen, intimidatie of agressie. Naarmate het vaker gebeurt kan er gewenning ontstaan en het gedrag geaccepteerd worden door te denken “het hoort bij de functie”. En zo kan het gebeuren dat deze nare ervaringen niet besproken worden met collega’s, naasten of hulpverleners. Vanuit contacten met mensen die dit meemaken en uit onderzoek is echter gebleken dat het wel degelijk impact heeft op de bedreigde en zijn familie. Het kan niet alleen het professioneel functioneren beïnvloeden maar ook de persoonlijke levenssfeer.

Als bestuurder of politicus bent u goed zichtbaar en benaderbaar voor burgers. Dat heeft echter soms ook een negatieve kant. Uit cijfers van het ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken en Koninkrijksrelaties blijkt dat meer dan de helft van de burgemeesters en wethouders te maken krijgt met bedreiging en intimidatie. De Vertrouwenslijn helpt bestuurders en politici èn hun familie bij alle vormen van ongewenst gedrag, zoals bedreiging, intimidatie en geweld.

Abstract

Abstract

Studies concerning the development of a post-traumatic stress disorder related to severe illness are scarce. The confrontation with myocardial infarction may be a very stressful event. Twenty-three patients consecutively admitted for first myocardial infarction were studied. After two years 1 of 18 survivors had been suffering from a partial post-traumatic stress disorder. Similarities and differences in the psychological reactions following potential traumatic events are discussed.

The article explores the experiences of Robert Bomengen, a family physician from rural Lake County, Oregon, in responding to a car bombing incident that destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma. After the incident, Bomengen spoke to medical students and discussed its implications for physicians in rural U.S. According to him, the bombing incident reminds that physicians should focus on providing the best care for everyone. A description of how physicians responded to the incident is presented.