Mental Health Consequences of Trauma: The Unseen Scars

Psychological issues are common overlays with all forms of illness and injury, but the extent to which these problems are associated with trauma is becoming better understood. Emergency care providers will deal with the causes and consequences of these posttraumatic difficulties. The practice of medicine, such as illness itself, is dynamic and always changing. We must prepare ourselves to the best of our abilities if we are to be successful in facing this challenge. This article offers suggestions for physicians and other acute care providers for ways to accomplish this task by relying on skills we already possess as we increase our level of understanding.

Keywords: posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), acute stress disorder (ASD), emergency medicine, trauma, pain management