Trauma and PTSD

Disorders and difficulties Therapies and practical advice Perspectives and controversies

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Blurry photo of a vibrant bar scene with a table of drinks, red lighting and indistinct figures moving around.

Neurodiversity

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Living without mental imagery may shield against trauma’s impact

Discovering I have aphantasia helped me understand my response to being assaulted and why I wasn’t debilitated by PTSD

by J B Smith

Person spreading strawberry jam on a piece of toast with a spoon in a kitchen setting, with a microwave and wooden countertop in the background.

Eating disorders

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The important link between eating disorders and past trauma

For someone who’s endured trauma, an eating disorder might be one of the aftereffects. That should inform their recovery

by Giulia Suro

Seen through the windscreen a large bear is crossing a country road at night caught in the headlights of a car

Sleep problems

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How to calm your nightmares

Whether bad dreams stir you awake occasionally or routinely, these pre- and post-nightmare strategies can help alleviate them

by Katy Jakle

A man wearing an eye mask lies on a bed while another person observes; a monitor and lamp are on the nearby table.

Emerging therapies

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What does ketamine-assisted therapy look like? Inside one firefighter’s journey

Directed by Brandon Kapelow

a frightened child whose face is partially obscured peers down from by a play area structure

Trauma and PTSD

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The shadows cast by childhood abuse and neglect are not the same

Unravelling the pathways from different forms of childhood maltreatment to mental illness could lead to better treatments

by Anne Alkema & Marco Boks

Kim Kardashian in a sparkling dress walks down an aisle, waving, as people on either side clap and cheer.

Trauma and PTSD

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Maladaptive daydreaming made me feel trapped in my own mind

Extended daydreams were a much-needed escape, but turned into a compulsion that crowded out my waking activities

by Zainab Al-Hassani

Person in a red jacket looking out at the sea with white chalk cliffs in the background under a cloudy sky.

Violence and aggression

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How to deal with bullying from your past

The effects of being bullied can linger for decades, but it’s never too late to heal and reclaim your place in the world

by Stacee Reicherzer

A man in winter clothing sits on a wooden boat, eyes half closed, with a snowy mountain landscape and water in the background.

Trauma and PTSD

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In the wake of wars, a professor seeks to mend children’s deep traumas

Directed by Daniel Benjamin Wheeler

A black-and-white photo showing a man smiling with three children, all dressed warmly in jackets and hats.

Trauma and PTSD

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Many refugees carry a distinct type of trauma: ‘moral injury’

Trauma is usually fear-based, but refugees are also burdened by witnessing moral violations and their own ethical dilemmas

by Angela Nickerson & Philippa Specker

Photo of an arm reaching into a dimly lit cupboard filled with shelves and various items.

Violence and aggression

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Why psychological research on child sex offenders is important

‘I am not one of those guys.’ The cognitive distortions of child sex offenders need to be better understood and treated

by Meetali Devgun

Black-and-white photograph of a solitary tree bent by strong wind in an empty field with a foggy, overcast sky and faint fence posts.

Resilience and flexibility

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How to be resilient

Life is unpredictable. Brace yourself with a suite of coping mechanisms, internal and external, then deploy them flexibly

by Selda Koydemir

Outdoorsy woman lies back in a sunny forest on grass and ferns, surrounded by trees with mossy trunks. She shields her face from the sun with an arm.

Life stages

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An ecologist finds an apt metaphor for healing in the rainforests she studies

Directed by Andrew Nadkarni