Recovery and Post-Trauma

Abstract

There are many paradoxes in survival. One is the simple fact that the very act of surviving may itself be a thankless and joyless task. The psychological and especially psychiatric consequences for the survivor following rescue can be profound. They are frequently painful in the extreme. It is common to find that, instead of showing increasing recovery, those who are rescued often show increased distress with signs of anxiety, sleep disturbance, guilt, diminished interest, social and personal withdrawal. This situation is not only paradoxical it calls into question our whole capacity and purpose for surviving.