PTSD og kroniske sykdommer

En veldig fin artikkel av Peter Levine http://www.open-source-cranio.com/re...aumaLevine.pdf som blant annet handler om Una-bomberen

"When autopsied after death, Vietnam veterans with long standing PTSD showed “shrinkage” in the hippoccampus (a region of the brain involved in emotion and learning). This phenomenon was corroborated by laboratory research that detected similar brain damage in animals that had been subjected to protracted stress. These “broken brain” studies infer that the symptoms of PTSD (including memory lapses, anxiety, depression, and inability to manage emotion and violent behaviour), are due to an irreversible and incurable brain disease.

My first-hand experience with over a thousand traumatized people has convinced me that the aforementioned “brain damage” and other biochemical or molecular changes are secondary effects-that PTSD is not only preventable, but in many cases reversible. There is no way of knowing the condition of my clients brains prior to treatment, but the fact is that many people experience symptoms of PTSD within forty-eight hours of a traumatic event-much too soon for brain damage to occur. In addition, many of my clients, some of whom have been plagued for decades by persistent signs of PTSD, become symptom free in a relatively short period of time."

"In summary, pathology-oriented trauma research may be (mis)leading people to believe that PTSD is incurable. At the same time, it has afforded ‘legitimacy’ to the very real suffering of people with PTSD. Rather than being told “It’s all in your (figurative) head”, a few of us may be comforted being told that “It’s all in your (literal) head.” In addition, the research raises important social questions: how do we as individuals, as a people, as a nation, and as a global community, plan to care about our traumatic experiences?"

"The area of medicine specializing in PTSD is a branch of “Biological Psychiatry.” An integral part of its standard treatment approach to the problem of excess of neurotransmitters and biochemicals like cortisol is pharmacological rather than biological. Currently, the search is on to find drugs that suppress the production of stress hormones. While such substances will afford beneficial relief of symptoms, unless the mobilized survival responses are addressed as well, the principal agent of PTSD will remain unchanged. Although medications are valuable tools, one drawback with symptom inhibitors is they often suppress vital biological functions."

"I believe it is possible to restore balance and prevent brain damage by learning how to discharge the residual energy mobilized in response to a life-threatening situation. This organismic discharge, when complete, informs the brain that it is time to reduce the levels of stress hormones-that the threat is no longer present. When this message to normalize is not given, the brain continues to release high levels of cortisol. If the situation persists, it could lead to brain damage. The central question is: what prevents people from returning to normal functioning after a perceived threat no longer exists?"

Mange av oss, meg inkludert, sliter med stresshormoner som har løpt løpsk. I mitt tilfelle ligger jeg og kaver i nedre del av referanseområdet med kortisol etter alt for mange traumatisk opplevleser gjennom livet. Hva kom først av høna og egget? For min del tror jeg traumene kom først, deretter løp hormonsystemet amok. Det er så mange symptomer på traumer som samsvarer med symptomer på lavt stoffskifte og lavt kortisol, lavt aldosteron, lavt DHEA etc. Jeg tror ikke dette er tilfeldig. For mange kan traumet de har opplevd være så skjult at de ikke engang vet at de har et traume som gjør at de sliter litt mer enn andre, det er så dypt gjemt i den non-verbale delen av hjernen.

Peter Levines "In an unspoken voice" finnes på dansk. Den heter "Den tavse stemme", jeg leser den nå, den er veldig fin. Jeg vil anbefale å begynne med "Væk tigeren" hvis du vil lese Levine. Begge bøker finnes på biblioteket. Om ikke det lokale biblioteket har dem, kan biblioteket hjelpe deg med å låne dem fra et annet bibliotek uten at det koster deg noe. Søk på Peter Levine på youtube, det finnes flere videoer der med intervjuer med ham.

Robert Scaer har skrevet en annen bok som heter "Trauma spectrum". Den har et mye enklere språk enn "The body bears the burden", den er også mulig å få låne via biblioteket