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Overcoming Past Traumas

The horrifying images on television depicting bombing victims in Poso, Sulawesi, made Larasati's heart beat faster. Perspiring profusely, the 30-year-old woman felt weak.

Pictures of her own agony flashed painfully in her mind. They were of days when she was treated in hospital few years ago for wounds suffered in a bomb explosion in Jakarta.

She was leaving her office when the bomb exploded. She saw a huge ball of fire and felt an intense heat before everything went black.

"When I regained consciousness, I realized I was in a hospital where I was being treated for severe burns. About the stitches on my head, I was told that I had a concussion. Well, six months later I recovered almost completely, at least physically," Larasati said.

But not psychologically. For a long time, she was traumatized by the tragedy. Fear seemed to be firmly entrenched in Larasati's mind. Every place she went posed a fatal threat. Visuals of shopping malls, office buildings and basement parking lots crumbling and devoured by giant fireballs often haunted her.

Frequent nightmares made her an extremely nervous person. Without apparent reason she often snapped at people. Naturally, concentrating on her work or anything else became increasingly difficult.

Fortunately, her condition improved significantly after several sessions of counseling with a psychiatrist.

Still, once in a while, the terrifying images return with a vengeance. Like the time she saw a car with its passengers ablaze in a traffic accident or whenever she reads or hears about bombings. The trauma, with all its agonizing mental and physical repercussions, has not entirely left her in peace.

Even family members and close friends find it difficult to understand her plight, as physically, Larasati appears to be normal.

What most people do not realize is that all sorts of memories, happy or sad, are stored in our minds. Some are traumatic experiences which can create a stronger impact and therefore often float to the surface, causing emotional and physical suffering.

The recurrence of past painful memories that trigger mental, emotional and physical disorders or illness, including behavioral changes, are often due to, among other things;

* Seeing or hearing similar events * Time-related recurrences, such as the same date of the tragedy (anniversary reaction, in psychiatric lingo) * Difficult or stressful circumstances during recovery period

Kristi Poerwandari, a psychologist at PULIH Foundation, said: "Talking with those close to you, like family and friends, is helpful. By sharing your problems with them, the burden can become lighter. Their empathy and moral support help the healing process."

Similarly, taking time to relax, simply doing things one enjoys and, most importantly, developing a positive attitude, contributes significantly to recovery process.

The victim needs to understand that past experiences are stored in the brain's memory bank, and it is only natural that the harrowing images resurface and are replayed from time to time. Dealing with them becomes easier by accepting them as merely a part of one's past or something that is over and done with.

However, for those that find it hard to cope by themselves, counseling sessions with psychiatrists as well as psychologists is recommended.

For further information, please do not hesitate to contact the 24-hour Pulih Foundation hot line at (021) 719 6426, 719 7476, 707 91304 or 0888 1816 860, or send an e-mail to yayasan_pulih@yahoo.com for e-counseling.

The Pulih Foundation, in cooperation with the Center for Studies of Disasters and Victims of Violence at the University of Indonesia's Department of Psychiatry and Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta, also provide psychiatric counseling services (telephone number (021) 310 7741 and (021) 319 37559).

Disclaimer: This article was made possible through support provided by The United States Agency for International Development. The opinions expressed herein are those of PULIH and International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) and not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development.