Like most
of the 1,000 torture survivors currently in treatment at Freedom from Torture, she
displayed severe
symptoms of trauma including post-traumatic
stress disorder, depression and anxiety which greatly affected her daily functioning.
About a third
of mice exposed to severe
stress (in the form
of aggressive attacks by other rodents) seem to breeze through these assaults without developing the social withdrawal, listlessness or other depression and traumalike
symptoms displayed by most
of their rodent lab - mates.
There is a significant variation in the way individuals react and respond to extreme
stress and adversity — some individuals develop psychiatric conditions such as posttraumatic
stress disorder or major depressive disorder — others recover from stressful experiences without
displaying significant
symptoms of psychological ill - health, demonstrating
stress - resilience.
While Ruthie was recovering from having six teeth extracted and a benign mass removed, we noticed that she was easily agitated and
displayed other
symptoms of Addison's disease, a condition in which dogs don't produce the adrenal hormones that help them handle
stress.
Children who have disorganized attachment with their primary attachment figure have been shown to be vulnerable to
stress, have problems with regulation and control
of negative emotions, and
display oppositional, hostile - aggressive behaviours, and coercive styles
of interaction.2, 3 They may exhibit low self - esteem, internalizing and externalizing problems in the early school years, poor peer interactions, unusual or bizarre behaviour in the classroom, high teacher ratings
of dissociative behaviour and internalizing
symptoms in middle childhood, high levels
of teacher - rated social and behavioural difficulties in class, low mathematics attainment, and impaired formal operational skills.3 They may show high levels
of overall psychopathology at 17 years.3 Disorganized attachment with a primary attachment figure is over-represented in groups
of children with clinical problems and those who are victims
of maltreatment.1, 2,3 A majority
of children with early disorganized attachment with their primary attachment figure during infancy go on to develop significant social and emotional maladjustment and psychopathology.3, 4 Thus, an attachment - based intervention should focus on preventing and / or reducing disorganized attachment.