When you ask the question is my client more vulnerable than others to a given trauma, you are asking a complicated question. Other things being equal, individuals with severe mental disorders are at the top of the list of those most vulnerable. This would include schizophrenics, major depressive disorders,…
Is there such a thing as psychological disability? Can someone’s mental condition render them incapable of work? The answer to both questions is yes. The most severe form of psychological disability is schizophrenia. Most scientists believe it is genetically based. The symptoms may include hallucinations, delusions, and flat affect…
We all suffer tragedies in our lives. Relatives pass away, couples divorce, businesses fail. When these events happen suddenly, they can produce trauma. Are some individuals more susceptible to trauma than others? Yes. Other things being equal, individuals with severe mental disorders are at the top of the list…
In the last issue we defined the nature of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). When deciding whether this description fits your client, I emphasized two key concepts: extreme threats and intense fear.
Commonly, experts misidentify chronic exposure to stress as a precursor to PTSD. This is simply false. The predisposing event…