Mind Your Words Around Trauma Victims, Say Psychologists

On Feb 17, the calm of a residential neighbourhood here was shattered by the screams of a teenage boy who ran out of a house, leading to the discovery of the bodies of five family members in tragic circumstances.

Nine days later, another teenage boy and his 19-year-old sister were left orphaned in the blink of an eye after their mother, father and three siblings were killed in a tragic house fire in Raub, about 222 kilometres from here.

The first incident was caused by a criminal act committed by a family member, while the other has yet to be determined, but both ended the same way: a child who had just entered adolescence became the victim.

As is common today, the public flooded social media with various narratives and speculations about the tragedies that befell the two 15-year-olds, with little regard for the emotional impact on them.

In reality, experts say such incidents risk causing deep trauma to victims, especially when they involve children and adolescents, leaving long-lasting emotional scars if they continue to be burdened with unfiltered words or comments, whether face-to-face or on social media.

VULNERABLE GROUP

Sharing her views with Bernama, a psychologist at the Department of Social and Community Services, Hospital Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Norezzati Md Hanafiah said children and adolescents are more vulnerable to the psychological effects of trauma compared to adults.

As part of a vulnerable group, she said children and adolescents have yet to develop effective coping skills like most adults when facing stressful or pressured life situations.

Norezzati Md Hanafiah.

“In addition, children’s and adolescents’ perceptions of situations occurring around them also play a role, especially if the incident involves something extremely heartbreaking and life-threatening.

“The psychological impact becomes even deeper if the incident involves a loved one due to the emotional attachment they have with that individual,” she said.

SYMPTOMS

Meanwhile, defining trauma as something usually experienced when a person is involved in any situation that causes physical and mental injury, a psychologist at Pusat Sejahtera, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA), Paridah Mohd Ali said the condition can affect anyone, regardless of race, gender or age.

“However, in the context of children and adolescents, they are at greater risk of experiencing trauma because their emotions are not yet mature.

Paridah Mohd Ali

 “In terms of symptoms, because they are unable to express themselves verbally, the emotions they experience are often manifested through their behaviour. They commonly develop a fear of being alone and may cry suddenly,” she said, adding that in some cases the symptoms may be more severe.

She further explained that other symptoms include loss of appetite, sleep disturbances, being easily startled and various other behaviours outside their norm.

Therefore, families must pay attention to any behavioural changes so that intervention can be taken to prevent the situation from worsening.

“Families, being the closest to such individuals, must always protect, accompany and reassure the victim,” she told Bernama.

COOLING-OFF PERIOD

Elaborating further, Paridah said they should be given a cooling-off period before being ready to undergo any form of intervention or treatment.

“This cooling-off period differs for each individual and depends on their ability to cope with the issue. During this time, they greatly need support from those close to them.

In the context of children and adolescents, they are more at risk of experiencing trauma due to immature emotions. Pix credit enotalone.com.

“This is especially important if the child personally witnessed the criminal act, so that they are not overwhelmed by guilt and other emotions that may prevent them from expressing their feelings,” she said.

During this period, she recommended that the affected teenager be allowed to study online.

“Friends at school should also avoid pressuring them or asking about the incident in a way that makes them feel threatened or stressed,” she suggested.

She added that the use of certain words such as blood, kill and death may trigger emotional reactions in those who have experienced trauma, particularly witnesses to murder cases.

“Keeping them away from viewing or using social media temporarily can also help in recovery, as access to social media may prolong trauma since such stories spread widely,” she said.

TRAUMA TREATMENT

Meanwhile, Norezzati from Hospital Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah UPM said that in terms of treatment, a combination of multidisciplinary intervention approaches, including psychiatry, counselling and pharmacological treatment, can provide the most consistent recovery outcomes, as each discipline addresses trauma from different aspects.

From a counselling or psychological perspective, she said emphasis is placed on emotional management and developing better coping strategies through counselling sessions, focused therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and other appropriate approaches.

Children and adolescents' perceptions of the situations happening around them also play a role. Especially if the incident involves a very heartbreaking and life-threatening event. Pix credit psychologicalmobile.com.

She added that psychiatry focuses more on clinical symptom management, while pharmacological treatment is provided as needed. Family support also plays a crucial role.

“In addition to these interventions, support from family and those closest to the individual is essential to encourage them to feel accepted and become more open to seeking professional treatment,” she said.

RECOVERY PERIOD

Commenting on the recovery timeline, Norezzati said there is no fixed duration for trauma recovery, as it depends on surrounding factors.

Some individuals recover within a few months with consistent treatment, while others require a longer period despite similar interventions.

“However, social support, consistent treatment and a healthy environment play a very important role in encouraging the recovery process,” she said.

Families and communities can also help by fostering a non-judgmental, empathetic environment that makes individuals feel accepted even when struggling with overwhelming emotional symptoms.

She added that attention must be given to emotional and behavioural changes, and immediate help should be sought if symptoms lead to thoughts of self-harm.

TRAUMA-FREE

On trauma recovery, the expert stressed that healing should not be measured simply by signs such as “the child is no longer crying” or “the child looks happier”, or by the fact that they have returned to school.

“Trauma is a form of emotional response. Therefore, recovery must be viewed more deeply than merely observing outward symptoms,” she emphasised.

She said recovery may be indicated by several signs, including a reduction in clinical symptoms.

“For example, if previously the individual was constantly haunted by flashbacks of the tragic incident or suffered nightmares, these images will gradually fade and the frequency of flashbacks will decrease.

“In addition, when the individual begins to think rationally and regains a sense of self-worth, these are also signs that recovery has begun,” she said.

Stressing the importance of early identification and treatment of trauma, Norezzati warned that if left unaddressed, the condition could persist and potentially develop into a mental disorder.

“It is crucial for victims to receive early intervention to prevent trauma symptoms from developing into mental health disorders such as depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), among others,” she said.