How Trauma Centres Can Bridge Gap In Uncertain Economy
THE internet recently went agog with news of a 32- year- old banker, Amarachi Ugochukwu who died by suicide. Details emerging revealed that she combined her bank job which involved marketing with a footwear business to make ends meet.
It was said that she was found dead in the restroom at her workplace in Ikorodu after consuming insecticide unknown to her colleagues. In a suicide note found beside her body, she complained about the economic hardship in the country.
The suicide note found beside Ugochukwu’s body reads, “Nothing is working in my life. My figures are low. My brain is clogged up. The economy is getting harder. My decisions are wrong. My mind is messed up. The future doesn’t seem bright at all. I see extreme hardship. I can’t bear the pain anymore.” She also apologised to her parents and other members of her family in the suicide note.
The case of Ugochukwu is one of the many cases of frustration due to the economic situation that is ravaging the society. As the naira continues to weaken and cost of living increases rapidly, it calls for concern on the mental state as it relives traumatic experiences in the lives and minds of people.
With the National Trauma Centre at the National Hospital, Abuja, handling cases of physiological traumas arising from road traffic accidents, broken bones, huge flesh tears, a few handling emotional trauma cases are from the private sector, and other prativcing psychologists and counsellors offering counselling, talk therapy, psychotherapy and faith- based ( prayer) support system.
Speaking on the concept of trauma, Executive Director, Edoka Trauma Care Centre said it is situations of life that are either triggered from within or externally that affect you emotionally, psychologically, morally. It also affects your spirit and soul, to the extent that you are helpless and distressed, and you need external support to be able to stabilise.
“Apart from needing external support, you need someone to refer you, to say, look this person needs help. You also need to be convinced, because mostly there is always that denial. For example, what are some of the things that cause trauma? I noticed that one of the major triggers of trauma is homelessness; I have experienced temporary homelessness, or living in between homes, which is quite challenging. It can cause so much. It is not something you can help yourself with, even if you have the money.
“For some it’s bereavement, some it’s illness, for some it’s even secondary trauma - you see someone in pain, because you have compassion and empathy, you are worried that the person is suffering, or you are a service provider, and you have gone through so much, whether you are in the military or in the civil service or in the civil societies, as a frontliner, you see so much, and your tissues will begin to internalise some of those things. There are several life experiences; loss of position, higher expectation that is dashed suddenly - you need someone to assist you, so it’s very problematic.” Sharing her experience of trauma, she said, “I have had my personal experience and had cause to go to a trauma centre in Nigeria, when my only biological son was killed. The most standard hospital in the country, the National hospital had poor service delivery and I score this only 10 percent; I have just heard news about my son’s passing and I was just told to go to the mortuary at about 3: 00 oram. Perhaps, where one would check is the National Trauma Centre, as the Military are good with dealing with trauma. When I went to the mortuary, my son who was killed, his body was just dumped; the way corpses are handled is appalling, same with when autopsy is done and with the Grace of God and for what I do for the society, I received a lot of support, yet, I could also see the gap.”
Hence with this deficiency, there is need for mapping of trauma centres, compare it with other developing countries, so, we can identify where the gaps are. But from what I’ve heard and seen, and experienced, we don’t have any standard trauma centre in the country, that has equipment and personnel, nutritionists, talk therapists, body therapists, dieticians, counselors, psychiatrists – all these professionals are needed. You need all of them in one space and available to provide service. The quality of care is quite low, as even ordinary care givers, we don’t have them.”
Ede noted that with the economic situation, it has become really challenging. “With the situation in the country, certainly too many things have happened, and we have received so much shock and it’s been trapped in our system. And when we reflect on what happened previously, you are worried that worse could happen. There is a level of hopelessness. People express hopelessness, when you see how they move on the street, you can see that the misery level is high. As a result of that, there is an increasing need for training of trauma therapists.”
On the signs for someone in need of a therapist, she said, “the signs are numerous. There are people who are just withdrawn. They become introverts suddenly, then others become extroverts. They talk a lot, unending, they complain, and they murmur. They soliloquize a lot, they see spirits, they get angry easily. There are those that abuse substances, either food, drinks, alcohol. There are others who feel that sex would help them. There are others who just get buried in books, and they run away. There are those who even abandon their jobs.
“You also find a lot of people not satisfied with anything. They have high expectations, and others will tell you they have zero expectations. Either way, it is not good. So, you will find an expression of hopelessness, anger, and loss of appetite. You find some people feeling it is okay to die. When someone says that it is not a joke, and we should follow up very closely.”
On management and treatment of trauma, she said, “yes, it is treatable because it is a health condition and every health condition has a solution. One thing that I have gained is that I have met a lot of counselors. The one that has worked so much for me is the Drugless Energy Medicine Therapy by Dr. James Iwowari. He has done so much work and he is very helpful. His approach is unique. It is instantaneous. The processes he takes you through; it’s not just a talk therapy. It’s not the kind of therapy where they give you a lot of drugs, and sedatives for you to be able to sleep. It’s a combination that is very rare.
“So, I pray that people are able to access that to help people heal fast, because, finding closure is very important, healing well, to help other people. We want to be able to see how the private and public sector employers and employees benefit from free therapy that comes in a package, because, most people complain that therapy is very expensive. The training is not an easy thing, so it will naturally be expensive. But there are lots of people who do it as part of their humanitarian support to people going through trauma, knowing that they would first of all live in denial, secondly, they think it’s too expensive, and they should remain in trauma.
“Nobody should remain in trauma. Everybody should get out of trauma; everybody should be able to come out of trauma. I am a beneficiary, so the trauma discussion is very important, and I wish we can make it national and all those involved in humanitarian interventions, provide it to people. I want to see schools, faith- based organisations, traditional organisations, and as little as it is, sociocultural groups, the media; let them all have a coordination point that addresses
trauma, because every constituency comes with their own kind of trauma. Above all, we want to see a National Assembly that will put a budget line for trauma and trauma therapy.”
Founding Director of Goldenrays Integrated Energy Therapy Institute, Dr. Iwowarri Berian James, said that trauma in simple language is shock. “Anything happens to an individual that creates shock in him or her, which means it was unexpected, the person didn’t have control at the time, and may be an overwhelm. The person may react by fleeing, fighting, or freezing. There are two types of traumas; physical trauma that is injuries to the body or being hard hit, which causes big pain but no physical injury.
“There is also emotional trauma, which is the invisible wound of the heart and mind. This is the kind of Trauma that we are discussing here. Most times,. depending on the nearness of the source of trauma, freezing is usually the immediate response. Such factors as may cause trauma include sudden loss of loved ones, sexual abuse, domestic abuse, sudden expose to harsh treatment, loss of job, retirement, separation, divorce, relationship challenges, loss of freedom through kidnapping, jail term, Adverse Childhood Experiences and Moral Injuries. etc. When unresolved, can lead to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ( PTSD).
“A structured system is advocated here where governments at all levels should explore effective support system that now exist ( using Energy Psychology) to provide a highlevel healing for these categories of persons just as the medical system has been put in place to care majorly for physiological health issues. Emotional Trauma is an important but neglected challenge that do cause over 85 per cent of physiological health challenge if left unresolved according to research.”
He noted that signs of trauma people should be aware of include the rise in anxiety, constant anger, fears and phobias, becoming easily startled, thinking that everyone is against you or that people are reading your mind, when you lack coordination, feeling sad all the time, having intrusive thoughts, not wanting to be in the public space, becoming anti- social.
Losing self- confidence, questioning everything, perfectionism can be a coping mechanism for hidden trauma, looking for happiness in groups like clubs, churches - especially the dancing and clapping ones in an excess manner, and hiding under work to keep away from people or home, raising voice in a harsh way against children or colleagues in the office, being aggressive, when bedeviled with too much negativity at home, expressing greed and insatiability, losing interest in things like not wanting to go to school, to go to work, to meet people, showing petty jealousies etc. “Many times, lots of people don’t know that they are reacting to emotional trauma hidden inside of them from which they had dissociated over time but that are quietly corroding their energy system.”
Speaking on the state of the economy and how trauma centres can lighten the burden, the Certified Energy Health Practitioner said, “It is important to put in place whatever will help the Nigerian citizens to feel better, especially under the current economic condition. Part of the causes of emotional trauma can also be financial stress, and the economy has led to loss of jobs, loss of positions and loss of authority for many. Military expeditions as in wars, peacekeeping and more. Domestic troubles have heightened due to families not being able to cope with financial burdens, health challenges are on the increase because of poor state of the mind and heart and inability to foot health bills.
“People are angrier, fearful, lack self confidence in the face of the many lacks they experience, they react to the troubling exposure to insecurity with fear and trepidation. Many respond to drugs and alcohol and various other negative behaviours including suicide as coping mechanism. Trauma centers will not change the situations but they will help people to build the inner capacity to change their behavioural response to these conditions. Help people gain stability and become able to face the realities with more confidence and awareness. It will help more in healing the mind and hearts in a professional way.”
While noting that he is not aware of any hospital that offers Emotional Trauma services before the advent of Goldenrays Emotional Trauma Resolution Services came to be, Dr. James who is also an Energy and Managerial Psychologist said, “I started advocating for attention to Trauma Resolution since 2005 because I recognised the damaging effects of unresolved emotional trauma and studied modalities for effective resolution of such Traumas. Efforts to get conventional Hospitals to incorporate this aspect of health services is yet to materialise positively. It will be a huge welcome development to have hospitals provide service in this area because not every dysfunction in the body requires drug- based medication. Especially those challenges described medically as idiopathic ( unknown causes) conditions.
“The treatability of Emotional Trauma depends on whom you are seeing as a client and the modality being deployed. Many emotional healing modalities, especially, the traditional ones used in psychotherapy, may take months and years to bring effective result. In such situations, you will be told that you have to manage it and that puts a lot of people off. Yes, they are treatable if you see an expert or professional that understands the energetic foundation of the human discomforts and how emotions are connected to the Energy System of the body.”
He added that trauma healing is about removing incapacitation in human capacity expression. Capacity to make useful decisions, relate with people, peers and coworkers, learn and reproduce what is learnt, change from bad and unwanted behaviours, to build courage, to act or take action, to forgive and move forward ( not through dissociation). Capacity to relate with family and avoid abusiveness in the home.
“These are positives that emotional trauma can truncate in an individual. Many people just shut down, run to drugs or steep alcohol consumption, over eating, unwanted behaviours such as aggression, over indulgences, and some may desire to die away instead of facing hardship caused by Emotionally Traumatising Life Events in their lives ( Suicide). So, an effective trauma healing benefits the individual, the family, and the society at large.”
For Psychologist, Aisha Bubah and founder of Sunshine Series, a mental health organisation, she noted that trauma or psychological support centres can support Nigerians because with the economic situation, sometimes it presents a deep feeling of hopelessness. “Where people feel very uncertain and negative about the future. They don’t have hope, they have a pessimistic view of the future, they don’t feel like things are going to get better and all of that. Sometimes the kind of psychological support can be a listening ear to provide reassurance, encouragement. If the person is also dealing with other problems like anxiety or panic or depression, they can help the person learn skills to overcome these issues, so that they are better equipped to with the economic crisis and be more energised to do what they can do, to improve their situation. “So, yes, trauma centres can help Nigerians, especially with the rise in cases of suicide. What we also need is having 24/ 7 helplines that provide crisis support. Once anyone feels like they are having suicidal thoughts or the urge to hurt themselves, they can immediately call and speak to someone who can help to calm the person down, who can provide suicide prevention support. In that way it can help so that people don’t take drastic measures and end up hurting themselves or taking their lives through suicide.”
On signs of trauma, Bubah said, “it can be difficulty sleeping, having nightmares, difficulty eating or low appetite, feelings of fatigue, sometimes, there could even be physical symptoms like headaches, there could also be anxiety, signs of depression, overwhelming sadness. The person may also isolate themselves, or withdraw from social activities, or you find the person unable to concentrate, unable to do the most basic things, you could find also the person struggle with keeping up with work, or maybe studies, or being able to participate in activities that they normally enjoy doing. “Sometimes, a person could also experience intense anger, or irritability. They easily get annoyed or anger. It could also be a feeling of numbness. The person just doesn’t feel anything. If you ask them, they don’t feel joy, no sadness, no anger, nothing, they are just numb. For some people, it can be so extreme that they struggle with sleeping, and they keep having nightmares, or flashbacks of the events or whatever it is that happened with them.”
While stressing that trauma is manageable, she said it is treatable with the right intervention. “Psychological interventions can help. Where the person is in therapy, identify the triggers, learn coping mechanisms to deal with some of the signs and symptoms including sleep problems, anxiety, depression and difficulty concentrating. In the long run, it can also affect your relationships. Either intimate relationships, or your relationships with family and friends, where you’re unable to just be there and be involved. It can also sometimes lead to physical health conditions, like high blood pressure, stroke, and all those kinds of illnesses that can come from extreme stress; ulcers due to a poor diet.” Looking at all the signs and symptoms, it can limit the individual’s ability to just enjoy life, to be able to perform and deliver on activities, tasks if they’re working or studying, they won’t be able to concentrate, deliver and get good grades.
She added that majority of our hospitals are not equipped to provide mental health or trauma support in this regard. “Our primary health care centres are definitely not very well equipped to provide these. Most times, you have to go to a neuropsychiatric hospital before you can access these types of support; we have only about eight Federal Neuropsychiatric hospitals in Nigeria, some private- owned sectors and then NGOS, but again they’re still not enough.”