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Blog Post – April 2014

Posted on March 1st, 2014

TRAUMA

Recently the nation has been worrying about the effects of the recent floods and storms. We can readily understand the damage to people’s property and the disruptions to their lives.  What we don’t so readily appreciate is the damage to their emotional well-being. Of course, most people who experience very frightening situations find that their inevitably heightened anxiety and fear levels soon start to fade. Sadly some don’t. These are the people who might eventually need some psychotherapeutic help.

In my work I often see people who are suffering from the emotional aftermath of traumatic incidents in their lives. It’s not all headlines stuff. Much of my work is with people suffering from ordinary, but no less scary, life events like car crashes, personal violence, injuries at work, and so on. Sometimes they weren’t personally involved with the drama. Just witnessing it was enough. Sadly, all too often, they don’t get to see me until many months, even years, after the event. If only they could have got some help at the time. Injuries can be treated and property can be repaired. The sooner the work starts, the sooner things get back to normal. That’s true of people’s damaged emotions too.

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Blog Post – March 2014

Posted on February 23rd, 2014

THE WINTER BLUES

Well, it looks like winter is easing a bit at last and there are hints that we might soon be starting to enjoy some better weather. This is something that we all can look forward to. However, before winter loses it grip, it is worth remembering that bleak weather, just by itself, can sometimes cause us to become depressed. Any of us can get the winter blues. Of course, in many cases the answer is to just tough it through. Cheer yourself up somehow – meet your friends; take some exercise; have a nice hot bowl of soup; have a comfortable evening in the warm – whatever floats your boat. Sometime, however, if somebody becomes sufficiently depressed they might become what therapists call ‘of clinical significance’. When that happens we might not be talking about the winter blues anymore.  We might be dealing with a case of Seasonal Affective Disorder, (SAD).

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