From tragedy to healing

Abstract

Trauma can affect anyone's life. However, some people are more likely than others to have experienced trauma in their lives and are more sensitive to its effects. In particular, people with a serious mental illness tend to have been exposed to high levels of trauma, both before and after the onset of their mental illness, and not surprisingly they have higher rates of PTSD than in the general population. Just as there is a need to educate the general public about PTSD and its treatment, mental health professionals and service users would benefit from learning similar information and understanding that there is realistic hope for developing a worthwhile and rewarding life after recovery from trauma and PTSD.