View our current video, "Stress" Part One

"Catastrophic"


1) In our video, "Stress" part one, it identifies stressors into three categories.

List the three categories

a. ___Catashophie__________________________

b. ___Major Life Events________________________

c. ___Microstressors__________________________

2) List your own three examples of Eustress

a. ___Hearing that a loved one has given their heart to the Lord._____

b. ___Finding out I get to spend time with my husband during the week._____

c. ___Losing 2 lbs.___


Read the article, “Coping With Trauma” by Judy Marshall, Ph.D., and then answer the following questions.


3) In contrast, there are stressors, sometimes called __catastrophic______________," that are outside the realm of usual human experience.


4) Usually these involve___dramatic violence____, ___death or its threat______or the possibility of

___severe bodily harm______.


5) There is a group of psychological symptoms, some of which are strange and dramatic, that seem to be experienced by people of all backgrounds, ages, and gender when "catastrophic" stress occurs. This is

called ___post-traumatic stress____________.


6) The person may experience intrusive thoughts and images that seem to __re-experience__ the trauma (and all the fright that went with it).


7) Emotional numbing and withdrawal from loved ones, irritability, anxiety, sleep problems, nightmares, and

loss of sexual interest and __problems in personal relationships__ may occur.


8) The long standing effects of "catastrophic" stress are often minimal or nil. This does not mean that the person gets over the trauma once and for all (and symptoms may be evoked by __sights____ or ___smells_ or __sounds__ similar to the trauma throughout one's life).


9) The good news is that these "catastrophic" trauma reactions are very amenable to treatment.

_Therapy_, ___counseling_, ____support groups - if the individual has the opportunity to participate - and is willing to take advantage of this - are very successful in treating the effects of "catastrophic" stress. For many, with time and healing, the trauma can once again become an event outside usual experience.


The purpose of our stress lessons, are to hopefully be able to identify our own stress issues that seem to be taking control of our lives. If you have experienced a Catastrophic trauma in your life, it is possible that the Post-traumatic Stress Disorder is still in control. If you believe this may be the case, please read the following article Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and I do encourage you to seek professional help in those areas of need.