De-stigmatize the effects of trauma through public education on the biological roots of trauma.
One of the strongest forces keeping people from seeking or accepting help for post-trauma effects is the myth that these effects are signs of being weak, cowardly, or "crazy." With a basic understanding of the very logical processes that the body and brain go through to keep us alive and functioning under stress -- and the effects of those processes once danger subsides -- people often begin to drop that sense of shame and self-blame, connect with others, and consider getting help. As they gain a better understanding of human resilience, they begin to connect with their own resilience, and to understand that the body's reactions to stress and threat are signs of strength, rather than weakness. In all of your provisions for public education and services to people with post-trauma effects, please address the urgent need to provide user-friendly, de-stigmatizing education on the nature of human resilience, the body's and brain's reactions to stress and threat, and ways of using that knowledge to build resilience, accept help, and recover from the effects of trauma.
Pamela Woll, MA, CADP
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Pamela Woll, MA, CADP
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I didn't know about this deadline until the very last minute, so probably nobody will get a chance to vote on it. But please consider its importance anyway. This kind of education can be a significant force for stigma reduction, growth, and healing.
