Expert explains stress cure

By SALLY TIWARI
GREATER awareness needs to be done on post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) and their effects, Papua New Guinea chief psychiatrist Dr Goiba Tienang said.
He said the disorder was one of the major causes of negative or “ill behaviour” by people towards their family, work and other people.
Speaking at a capacity-building workshop on disaster management last Friday, Tienang said many people were not mentally prepared to deal with disasters and that
led to post traumatic stress disorder.
He said many rescue teams deployed at disaster sites “are usually more focused on the physical preparedness such as provision of food and shelter but not on the physiological preparedness of the survivors as well as their own”.
He said 90% adults would not experience a mental disorder after exposure to a disaster but some people went on to develop disorder conditions that included acute stress disorder, anxiety, substance abuse, family violence or spouse abuse.
Tienang said the psychological symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder appeared after the disaster experienced but if treated early it would lead to quick recovery
Tienang said a study had shown that 28 % of women and 52% of men who suffered from post traumatic stress disorder ended up meeting the criteria for alcohol abuse.
Dr Uma Ambi, the principal adviser for social change and mental health with the curative health services of the Health Department, said young people, women and children who were exposed to disasters, particularly the bodies of victims, were more likely to end up with post traumatic stress disorder.
She said it was important that all rescue teams had a psychiatrist on board to help, especially when sent out on rescue missions or exposed to disaster.