PAC Moment - Medical Traumatic Stress

@ICNPatients collaborated with the ICN Social Workers & Psychologists (SWAP) group to create and share information about medical traumatic stress, including common symptoms, potential causes, coping strategies, advocacy statements, and a resource list. Take a PAC Moment to learn about medical traumatic stress from the patient perspective.

What is medical traumatic stress?

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network defines medical traumatic stress as "a set of psychological and physiological responses to pain, injury, serious illness, medical procedures, and invasive or frightening treatment experiences."¹

How does medical traumatic stress show up?

Advocacy statements from @ICNPatients, that you can use during appointments:

💚 I have a history of medical traumatic stress from past experiences that can make appointments/procedures/exams difficult.

💙 Certain medical experiences are difficult for me. Can we discuss ways to make me more comfortable?

💚 I would like to have someone I trust at the appointment.

Find all the advocacy statements, as well as more information about potential causes of medical traumatic stress, coping strategies, and a resource list in the original @ICNPatients post on Instagram or view a slideshow created from the post and including a list of clickable links 💚💙 

Disclaimer: This content is not intended to substitute for medical advice. If you have questions, you should always consult with your provider!

📌 Sources

1. Peterson, S. (2018, May 25). Medical trauma. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network. https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma/trauma-types/medical-trauma

The PAC, in partnership with ImproveCareNow, creates resources for young people to be educated and empowered. By sharing ideas, tips, and resources, we become a force of knowledge against IBD.

PAC Moments is a series of short informative stories from @ICNPatients aimed at raising more awareness of IBD and sharing actionable info & tips for life with IBD. We hope you'll share these with others and ask them to take a PAC Moment to learn from patients 💚💙

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