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“ The reactions and ailments that male survivors of sexual violence experience occur for a reason ; they reflect attempts by the body and the brain to process extreme experiences .”
A useful perspective may be to think that all our emotions want us to be well , even if it doesn ’ t always seem that way . Feelings try to tell us something about what is good and bad for us , and what we need more or less of . When a person starts to pay attention to what feelings convey , he will discover that in most cases they help to keep us safe . For example , anxiety and depression can be understood as responses that keep a survivor safe from potential dangers . This way of thinking about feelings can enable a survivor to realise that his negative feelings are a result of his circumstances , and do not indicate that he is a weak individual . This can make it easier for him to take conscious steps to give himself what he needs .
HELP AND ACTION
Explain that flashbacks , nightmares , anxiety and depression , though horrible to experience , represent efforts by the brain to sort and process trauma . Triggers can be understood as warnings from the brain of potential danger . Anxiety and depression can be thought of as attempts by the brain to avoid dangerous situations . When , in a seemingly neutral situation , the survivor feels intense anxiety and palpitations , when he sweats and his body screams at him to get away , these are automatic but overzealous survival reactions .
The problem is that , after extreme events , the brain is not always able to distinguish between real and potential danger and can warn of danger at any time . If the survivor understands what is happening , he may be able to contain or accept his feelings when they appear , and they may ultimately become less threatening .
3.3 The toolbox
Aim . To present and review tools and methods that are useful when working directly with survivors .
Like craftsmen , helpers possess a “ toolbox ” of assistive techniques – breathing and grounding exercises , ways of speaking , sitting , listening , telling a story , and so on . The tools described below may complement tools you already have .
Psychoeducation
The stories and exercises in the manual can be used to strengthen and stabilise survivors , help them feel more in control and less afraid . By imparting knowledge , the helper can assist survivors to understand their reactions , but also teach them exercises that calm them even when they are stressed and experiencing flashbacks . Exercises can be effective in situations where there are few resources , or where therapeutic support is not available . These are also resources that survivors control ; they can help survivors regain autonomy in their lives .
Through this process , often called “ psychoeducation ”, the survivor learns to understand his trauma reactions and the connections between events in the past and his difficulties in the present . Helping survivors to understand their reactions is the first step towards stabilisation .
It is helpful to give survivors a range of ways to understand their problems . If a survivor understands what trauma is , why it is experienced as painful , what mental and physical reactions to traumatic events are typical , and how traumatic responses can evolve , he can put some boundaries around