Toronto, ON

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Trauma and Abuse

Mary's Story Mary is 30-years old. She lives on her own, and does not have any contact with her family. She has no memory of her childhood at all. She is a gentle person, and works in an office. Sometimes she meets people who say that they know her, however she has no recollection of having met them. What is going on with Mary? Could I have Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)? Do you notice any of the following? A feeling that your sense of self has two or more distinct parts, and that each of those parts has its own behaviours, moods, thoughts, memories, and way of understanding the world That sometimes you don’t ...
Introduction Children and youth can have strong emotional reactions (or stress reactions) after a difficult experience. A traumatic event is one that causes a child or teen to react with horror, fear and distress. Events that might cause a stress reaction include:  Being in a car crash  Getting badly hurt  Witnessing violence  Nearly drowning  Seeing another person get badly hurt  How do children and youth react after traumatic events?  Everyone is different, and reactions often depend on a child’s age.  After a traumatic event, children and youth may ...
Do I Have PTSD? Have you been through traumatic events (such as violence, crime, combat or abuse) in the past? If so, then do any of the following apply to you: As a result of that event, do you avoid being reminded of this experience by staying away from certain places, people or activities? Yes/NoDid you lose interest in activities that were once important or enjoyable? Yes/NoDid you begin to feel more isolated or distant from other people? Yes/NoDid you find it hard to have love or affection for other people? Yes/NoDid you begin to feel that there was no point in planning for the future? Yes/NoAfter this experience were you having more ...
Christopher's Story, Part 1 Christopher is a 10-year old boy who heard about a recent terrorist attack on the news. Ever since then, he is worried when parents leave the house, and is having trouble sleeping at night. When he expresses his fear, his father tells him not to worry.   His dad reminds him that it’s safe in their home, that they have a security system, and that they can call the police if they have trouble. But Chris is still anxious, no matter how much his parents try to reason with him. What News Events are Upsetting for Children? We all want our children to grow up feeling safe. But almost every ...