Dealing with stress & post trauma stress

 

 

Q. My son recently got identified as an autistic child and the main issue is his behavior in school. No school wants to take him due to his behavior. He gets aggressive with class mates and even teachers. He also slapped one teacher the other day and the school authorities asked me to change the school. This is the third school we have changed and now I am worried. Please guide me.

 

Ans. You have not mentioned the age of the child? Autistic children do face problems adjusting and can show the signs you have mentioned above. It would be necessary to consult a special educator or a center for autistic children where academics is also taken care of, other than therapy. You could also enroll him in schools which only focus on catering to children with special needs, so that he gets proper attention and care. A regular school may not be equipped to handle such children. But it depends upon the level of his problem, whether it is mild, moderate or severe. Mild problems can be managed in regular schools too. Anonymous

 

Q. My son had an accident a few months ago and he was bed ridden in the hospital for long time. Even after being okay and coming home, he remains unhappy and irritated. He seems to have lost confidence and is afraid of driving his two-wheeler and wants to be dropped by car everywhere. He is a college going boy who can go independently but he doesn't. When we tell him to be independent, he gets irritated and shouts back and sits in his room with the door locked. I told him to go for counselling but he refuses. Please guide on what can be done. Ans. A serious accident can affect a person's mental health significantly. It takes time for the affected person to regain his confidence and routine. Your son might be having trouble processing too many emotions at a time, which might be a cause for his trauma and stress. He must have lost out on his studies and if he has been a good student, he might be worried about that too. Please bring him for counselling. You could convince him to come for a single session at least. Trauma leads to post traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) and needs systematic therapy to overcome it. The sooner you take help the better. If he doesn’t want to come with you, let him come with a friend he trusts. SS

 

Q. Since few weeks I am having a strange headache. It starts from the front and goes around the head. I feel scared and restless too. I can’t sleep well at night and keep troubling my friends by calling them at night. They now feel I should see a doctor. I went to the doctor and he said it seems more mental and psychological than physical. I don’t have any mental problem - my life is good and nice. I have a new job and I am doing well. I work hard and get praised for it. My colleagues like me a lot and boost me. I wonder what could be wrong with me. Do I need counselling?

Ans. If the doctor says it is psychological, then it could be. It could be a ‘tension headache’ or a ‘stress headache’. Sometimes everything appears fine on the surface but there are deeper issues beneath. A new job has its own challenges, you may be trying to adjust and adapt to the new routine or might be trying hard to please your colleagues and that might be a reason behind your headache. We need to identify the silent and hidden factors behind the symptom. You should come for a few sessions to understand your emotions and the underlying conflicts.