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The Impact of Trauma on the Psyche

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Penetrating Trauma

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Abstract

Physical trauma refers to harm inflicted on the body by an injury. It is defined by the World Health Organization as “a suspected bodily lesion resulting from acute over-exposure to energy (mechanical, thermal, electrical, chemical and radiant) interacting with the body in amounts or rates that exceed the threshold of physiological tolerance” [1]. Many characteristics influence the nature and severity of the resulting effects of physical trauma, namely, mechanism of injury, activity and intent, location at time of injury, severity, and the location and extent of damage. A common acute impact on the psyche is the development of delirium. Delirium is a syndrome consisting of impairments in consciousness, arousal, cognition, perception, and emotion. The clinical picture results from disruptions of normal brain function due to biochemical, electrical, or mechanical disturbances.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Fatima Y. Jeenah & Mahomed Y. Moosa

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Old Potchefstroom Road, Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Fatima Y. Jeenah

  3. Johannesburg District Health Services, Hillbrow CHC, Klein Street, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Mahomed Y. Moosa

Authors
  1. Fatima Y. Jeenah
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  2. Mahomed Y. Moosa
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fatima Y. Jeenah .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Professor of Surgery Division of Trauma, Emergency Surgery and Surgical Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital Harvard University Medical School, Boston, USA

    George C. Velmahos

  2. Professor Emeritus, Department of Surgery, University of the Witwatersrand Medical School, Milpark Hospital Academic Trauma Centre and Leratong Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Elias Degiannis

  3. Honorary Senior Lecturer, Department of Surgery, University of the Witwatersrand Medical School, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Dietrich Doll

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Jeenah, F.Y., Moosa, M.Y. (2017). The Impact of Trauma on the Psyche. In: Velmahos, G., Degiannis, E., Doll, D. (eds) Penetrating Trauma. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-49859-0_77

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-49859-0_77

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-662-49857-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-49859-0

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