Why is it important to have compassion and knowledge of cultures in working with traumatized individuals?

Reducing cultural isolation is essential to increasing the sense of belonging. Connecting refugees with appropriate resources reduces isolation. The people are readily able to identify and speak to their traumas as a personal and cultural experience—they can sit peacefully with a non-judgmental common understanding.

Why is it important for health care professionals to be familiar with normal reactions to trauma?

Considering the impact of trauma on physical and emotional health may help providers empathize with their patients and understand their patients’ behaviors, enabling more effective communication and relationship-building that may lead to better outcomes.

Do different cultures express trauma differently?

Trauma intersects in many different ways with culture, history, race, gender, location, and language. Trauma-informed systems acknowledge the compounding impact of structural inequity and are responsive to the unique needs of diverse communities.

Why is it important to treat trauma at the same time as substance abuse?

Trauma and substance abuse are co-occurring disorders, and therefore, both must be treated in order to improve the chances of long-term recovery.

What important assessment components should the nurse include for clients with PTSD?

Nursing Assessment for PTSD For diagnosis, the person must be experiencing a certain number of symptoms in four specific categories: re-experiencing; avoidance; persistent negative alterations in cognitions and mood; and alterations in arousal and activity.

How does culture influence trauma?

Often, family and cultural factors combine to define what is considered an appropriate reaction to illness or trauma. Some families and cultural groups are less comfortable responding to personal questions about emotional distress. They may think that being distressed means that there is something mentally wrong.

How does cultural trauma affect people?

The effects of the traumas inflicted on groups of people because of their race, creed, and ethnicity linger on the souls of their descendants. As a result, many people in these same communities experience higher rates of mental and physical illness, substance abuse, and erosion in families and community structures.

What is the relationship between trauma and substance use?

Decades of research have found a strong link between exposure to traumatic events and SUD. Conversely, individuals with substance use disorders are also more likely to experience traumatic events, leaving millions of people in a perpetual cycle of traumatic experiences and increased risk for abusing substances.