– It is a rather tough diagnosis to live with. If there is better treatment to prevent this, it is very good, says Stine Reksten (29). Sunnfjord woman lives with post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD. PTSD is an anxiety disorder that can occur in people who have been exposed to a traumatic event. Post-traumatic stress disorder Post-traumatic stress disorder Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a diagnosis that can happen to those who: Have been in mortal danger. Have been physically injured. Have witnessed others being in danger or dying. Have been forced to make “impossible” choices – between own safety or saving others. Have lost someone who was close to them. Psychological signs of PTSD can be: Problems with thinking about important aspects. Negative assumptions about oneself, others or the world. Reduced interest in previous activities. Forwarding. Restricted emotional life. Blames himself or others. Negative emotional state (fear, guilt, shame) Change in behaviour: Irritability/temper tantrums. Irresponsible, self-destructive behaviour. Vigilant. The splash. Concentration problem. Sleep problem. Physiological reactions to reminders. (Source: National knowledge center for violence and traumatic stress) From the time Reksten was 12 years old, she was subjected to a series of abuses by a much older man for several years. For her, the symptoms of PTSD came several years after the abuse. Noises and movements could make her squirm violently, and she could suddenly feel like she was going to pass out. For a period she worked 200 percent to keep the difficult feelings away. Then she hit the wall, and was bedridden for several months. Everything was dark. Believes that fewer people can become ill with better help 9 percent of Norwegian women and 1 percent of men become victims of rape. Figures from Amnesty show so. Between 30–50 per cent of these may develop post-traumatic stress disorder afterwards. – The number is too high, says psychologist specialist and research fellow Tina Haugen at NTNU. Together with a group of researchers, they will go into three Norwegian abuse reception centers to see if they can get the numbers down. The researchers believe that a different and more specific form of treatment for rape victims can prevent PTSD to a greater extent than the current offer can. RESEARCH: Too many people are victims of rape and many of them risk becoming ill afterwards. NTNU researcher Tina Haugen wants to see if a new and alternative treatment can provide better help. Photo: Privat The new treatment is a form of exposure therapy, which according to Haugen is a well-known method for preventing chronic PTSD. The PE treatment Prolonged exposure therapy, PE, involves working systematically with trauma-related feelings, thoughts and behavior that have arisen after the rape. PE should help the person to sort the trauma experience so that it takes up less space. In PE, one works on taking back one’s life, practicing standing in stressful situations to learn that it is not dangerous, and that the stress decreases. Source: Tina Haugen Here you can read more about the treatment and the study. – We think this treatment can mean that fewer people develop post-traumatic stress disorder. It is a disease that can be very disabling if it becomes chronic, says Haugen. About 1 percent of Norwegians suffer from PTSD. Can come in all the country’s receptions – Compared to other diseases, I think the development of the disease as a result of rape and trauma gets too little focus when we know how many people are affected, says Haugen. Over 200 women at the abuse center in Oslo, Vestfold and Trondheim will take part in the research. Within two years, Tina Haugen and her colleagues hope to have more answers. If the treatment is effective, the researchers hope that it can become an additional service at the abuse center. – We know a lot about trauma treatment when people have become ill, but it is perhaps better to help them earlier so that they do not have time to become ill, says Haugen. At the competence center against sexual abuse Nok in Førde, daily manager Chatrine Elholm meets many people who struggle with PTSD after rape. – It is a very common delayed injury after rape, and especially if they have not received early and good help, says Elholm. She thinks it is positive if the research can help prevent some of the problems and challenges rape victims live with. – Just coming in early with intensive treatment is good, says Elholm. Trude Lundekvam and Chatrine Elholm work at Nok in Førde, which is a help service for people who have been exposed to sexual abuse. They also provide guidance and teaching to schools, kindergartens, health personnel etc. Photo: astrid solheim korsvoll / news Have faith in new treatment Siri Thoresen works as a researcher at the National Knowledge Center on Violence and Traumatic Stress. She says that rape and other serious sexual abuse can lead to an increased risk of mental and physical health problems. She thinks it is very positive that research is being done on the mental health of those who come to the abuse center. Namely, it has not been done in 30 years. – Therefore, we know far too little about the health problems and need for help in this group, says Thoresen. In the Grevio report, the authors write that they are “seriously concerned” about the follow-up that rape victims receive. The abuse center in Førde wanted to take part in research, but with around 60 patients a year, they are too small. Professional nurse Lin H. Finjord believes that early treatment can prevent disease. She sees that more people can develop PTSD and need trauma treatment after abuse. – We are excited about what travel this study uses that we can use, says Finfjord. Good psychological help was crucial Stine Reksten is happy that rape and abuse are getting more attention. – It is a huge problem. Having a good support system shortly afterwards is so important, because it can be decisive for how one lives with the incident later, says the 29-year-old. But the support system has a lot to do here, she believes. She herself felt rejected when she first sought help, and she sat with the feeling that she was not sick enough. Today, Stine Reksten lives a good life, thanks to good support and good people around her. Photo: Arne Stubhaug / news Good psychological help was decisive. Reksten learned to understand why her body reacted the way it did, and how she could cope with it. Support from good friends was also important to progress. She also helped get her abuser sentenced to prison. Reksten still has PTSD, but manages to keep it in check. – Today I have a good life, she says.
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Half of rape victims can get PTSD – now new treatment can provide better help – news Vestland
