Bodily experiences of trauma and psychosis risk.

Bodily self-disturbances including anomalous embodiment of emotions are observed in psychosis-spectrum conditions. Psychosis is also associated with trauma exposure but the relationship between altered bodily experiences and trauma has not been extensively investigated in individuals at risk for psychosis (HR). We implemented a mapping task to localize felt sensations associated with trauma. Results show that trauma experiences were always localized in the body. HR reported increased rates of traumatic experiences than low-risk group (LR). HR reported sensations associated with trauma across widespread body areas. Further research is needed to elucidate how trauma might lead to psychotic-like experiences via bodily self-disturbances.

Depressive symptoms and neuroticism mediate the association between traumatic events and suicidality - A latent class mediation analysis of UK Biobank Database.

BACKGROUND: Mental disorders that follow traumatic experience may increase risk of suicidality, but a comprehensive approach to understand how these mental disorders mediate the association between psychological traumatic experience and suicidality should be elucidated. In this study, we attempted to provide comprehensive evidence on how depressive symptoms and neuroticism can mediate the association between psychological traumatic experiences and suicidal behaviours including suicidal ideation, suicidal planning, and suicide attempts. METHODS: We analyzed 111,931 participants from UK Biobank who had completed mental health web-based questionnaire from 2016 to 2017. "Self-harm and suicidal behaviour and ideation (SSBI) score" was calculated by the response from suicidal behaviours and self-harm questionnaires. Conducting multivariate linear regression, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and neuroticism were selected as potential mediators. We constructed a latent class mediation model estimated direct effect of psychological traumatic events on suicidality and indirect effect of psychological traumatic events mediated by depressive symptoms and neuroticism. RESULTS: Psychological traumatic events were positively associated with suicidal behaviours. Depressive symptoms and neuroticism significantly mediated the effect of psychological traumatic events on suicidality. Anxiety symptoms did not mediate the association between psychological traumatic events and suicidality. CONCLUSION: Psychological traumatic events, irrespective of life stage of occurrence, are associated with suicidality. The association between psychological traumatic events and suicidality can be partially explained by depressive symptoms and neuroticism of those who were exposed to psychological trauma.

Exploring healthcare workers' experiences of a simple intervention to reduce their intrusive memories of psychological trauma: an interpretative phenomenological analysis.

ABSTRACTBackground: Many healthcare workers (HCWs) endured psychologically traumatic events at work during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. For some, these events are re-experienced as unwanted, recurrent, and distressing intrusive memories. Simple psychological support measures are needed to reduce such symptoms of post-traumatic stress in this population. A novel intervention to target intrusive memories, called an imagery-competing task intervention (ICTI), has been developed from the laboratory. The intervention includes a brief memory reminder cue, then a visuospatial task (Tetris® gameplay using mental rotation instructions for approximately 20 min) thought to interfere with the traumatic memory image and reduce its intrusiveness. The intervention has been adapted and evaluated in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with Swedish HCWs (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04460014).Objective: We aimed to explore how HCWs who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic experienced the use of a brief intervention to reduce their intrusive memories of work-related trauma.Method: Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used for in-depth understanding of the lived experiences of HCWs who used the intervention. Seven participants from the RCT were interviewed by an independent researcher without prior knowledge of the intervention. Interviews were conducted via telephone and transcribed verbatim.Results: Four general themes were generated: 'Triggers and troublesome images', 'Five Ws regarding support - what, when, why, by/with who, for whom', 'Receiving it, believing it, and doing it' and 'The intervention - a different kind of help'; the last two included two subthemes each. The results reflect participants' similarities and differences in their lived experiences of intrusive memories, support measures, and intervention impressions and effects.Conclusion: HCWs' experiences of the novel ICTI reflect a promising appraisal of the intervention as a potential help measure for reducing intrusive memories after trauma, and gives us a detailed understanding of HCWs' needs, with suggestions for its adaption for future implementation.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04460014.

Many healthcare workers experience images or 'flashbacks' of traumatic experiences from their work during the COVID-19 pandemic.To ensure that individual needs are met, there is a need to tailor and refine current psychological support measures and their use for healthcare workers.The imagery-competing task intervention was perceived as acceptable, indicating its potential utility as a help measure to reduce intrusive memories after trauma.

Cumulative trauma: The intersection between continuous security threats and the COVID-19 pandemic among Israeli older adults.

INTRODUCTION: Research on cumulative traumatic events and their consequences for older adults have yielded inconclusive findings, especially when the traumatic events are different types of events and happen simultaneously. OBJECTIVE: To explore older adults' perceptions of cumulative trauma, specifically exposure to continuous security threats via living in a war zone and COVID-19. METHOD: Seventeen in-depth, open-ended, and semistructured interviews were conducted with older adults living near Israel's border with Gaza. We used ATLAS.ti software to perform thematic analysis. RESULTS: Various perceptions of continuous security-related stress and COVID-19, indicative of categorical differences in the perceptions of the two, were found. Namely, the characteristics, difficulties, and emotions that accompanied each of the two abovementioned traumas revealed three trajectories: negative cumulative; positive cumulative; and unrelated. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest conceptualizing cumulative trauma responses as an intersecting trajectory model, between the effects of previous traumatic events and those of the current one, reflecting a combination of individuals' resilience and vulnerability. Suitable policies/practices in which each specific traumatic event is seen alone, as well as in tandem with others, should be implemented. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Self-stigma predicts post-traumatic and depressive symptoms in traumatized individuals seeking interventions for dissociative symptoms: a preliminary investigation.

Background: Previous studies showed that self-stigma is associated with poor clinical outcomes in people with serious mental illness, and is associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, less is known about self-stigma in people with dissociative symptoms, which are often related to psychological trauma. This study examined whether baseline self-stigma would be associated with dissociative, PTSD and depressive symptoms at post-intervention, after controlling for treatment usage and baseline symptom severity, in a sample of traumatized Chinese adults undertaking a psychoeducation intervention for dissociative symptoms.Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from a 60-day web-based psychoeducation programme. A total of 58 participants who provided data before and after the intervention were included for analysis. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted.Results: In this highly traumatized, dissociative, and symptomatic help-seeking sample, baseline self-stigma was associated with PTSD (ß = .203, p = .032) and depressive (ß = .264, p = .025) symptoms at post-intervention, even after controlling for baseline symptom severity, age, location, number of sessions attended in the web-based psychoeducation programme, and use of psychological treatments for PTSD/dissociative symptoms. However, self-stigma was not associated with dissociative symptoms (p = .108).Conclusions: This is the first study showing that self-stigma is a significant predictor of comorbid symptoms (i.e. PTSD and depressive symptoms) in people seeking interventions for dissociative symptoms. The findings that post-traumatic and dissociative symptoms have different relationships to self-stigma also highlight the possibility dissociation might be an independent psychological construct closely associated with trauma, but not merely a PTSD symptom, although further studies are necessary. The preliminary findings call for more efforts to understand, prevent, and address self-stigma in people with trauma-related mental health issues such as dissociative symptoms.

Little is known about the clinical impacts of self-stigma in people with trauma and dissociation.Self-stigma predicted post-traumatic and depressive symptoms in people seeking interventions for dissociative symptoms.More efforts to understand and prevent self-stigma in people with trauma-related symptoms are needed.

The moderating role of optimism between social trauma and depression among Chinese college students: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Although there is a robust relationship among social trauma, optimism, and depression, the inner mechanism of this correlation remains unclear and need to be further explored. The mainly purpose of the current study was to investigate the relationship between social trauma, optimism, and depression among college students in China. More specifically, examined the moderating role of the optimism between social trauma and depression in Chinese college students. METHODS: A sample of 464 Chinese college students (54.7% female, Mage=19.29) from three universities were selected by the convenient sampling, and the Social Trauma Questionnaire (STQ), the Optimism Questionnaire (OPQ), and the Self-Rating Depression (SDS) were completed by these Chinese undergraduates. The descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and hierarchical regression analysis were used to examine the results. RESULTS: (1) The social trauma was positively associated with depression, whereas the optimism was negatively associated with social trauma, and depression; (2) The social trauma had a significant correlation with depression, and the optimism could moderate the relationship between social trauma and depression. More specifically, the further study showed that there was a significant positive relation between social trauma and depression under the low optimism level, however, there was a non-significant relation between social trauma and depression under the high optimism level. CONCLUSION: The optimism is the protective mechanism of college students' mental health (e.g., depression), it could weaken the trauma that associated with social trauma among college students.

Nursing students' views on trauma-informed pediatric nursing care and family-centered care.

PURPOSE: We studied the views of nursing students on family-centered care (FCC) and their knowledge, opinions, self-rated competence, current practice, and perceived implementation barriers with regard to trauma-informed pediatric nursing care. METHODS: This survey was a descriptive correlational study. The sample consisted of 261 nursing students, 3rd and 4th years, who had completed the Child Health and Diseases Nursing Course. The data were obtained using the "Student Information Form," "Family-Centered Care Attitude Scale," and "trauma-informed care (TIC) Provider Survey." RESULTS: Nursing students were knowledgeable and held favorable opinions about TIC. The survey showed that students with higher levels and those with a hospitalization experience during childhood had higher scores regarding TIC. A positive relationship was found between the students' TIC to mean score and FCC attitude mean score. CONCLUSIONS: Nursing students are not competent to practice TIC, especially with pediatric patients. Therefore, they need to develop relevant skills for helping pediatric patients. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Efforts to improve nursing students' trauma-informed pediatric care should highlight specific skills related to helping pediatric patients manage emotional responses to difficult medical experiences. By integrating TIC into the baccalaureate curricula, nursing educators can provide the students with appropriate skills and facilities so that they can provide holistic and highly effective care to highly vulnerable patients.

Trauma and female reproductive health across the lifecourse: motivating a research agenda for the future of women's health.

The aetiology behind many female reproductive disorders is poorly studied and incompletely understood despite the prevalence of such conditions and substantial burden they impose on women's lives. In light of evidence demonstrating a higher incidence of trauma exposure in women with many such disorders, we present a set of interlinked working hypotheses proposing relationships between traumatic events and reproductive and mental health that can define a research agenda to better understand reproductive outcomes from a trauma-informed perspective across the lifecourse. Additionally, we note the potential for racism to act as a traumatic experience, highlight the importance of considering the interaction between mental and reproductive health concerns, and propose several neuroendocrinological mechanisms by which traumatic experiences might increase the risk of adverse health outcomes in these domains. Finally, we emphasize the need for future primary research investigating the proposed pathways between traumatic experiences and adverse female reproductive outcomes.

Does the type of exposure to traumatic events make a difference in posttraumatic growth?

PURPOSE: The current study tested the predictor roles of psychological hardiness, perceived stress, time passed through the traumatic event(s), and gender and age on posttraumatic growth in individuals who experienced traumatic events in different ways. METHOD: A total of 1,132 participants were included in seven samples of individuals who had experienced trauma in different ways, such as those who experienced the trauma directly (n = 159); those who witnessed trauma (n = 50); those who have a relative who had experienced trauma (n = 172); those who were both directly traumatized, and witnessed trauma (n = 103); those who were both directly traumatized and had a relative who had experienced trauma (n = 261); those who both witnessed the trauma and have a relative who had experienced trauma (n = 131); and those who directly experienced, witnessed the trauma, and have a relative who had experienced trauma (n = 256). RESULTS: Results have shown that an individual's commitment, which is one subfactor of hardiness and stress level experienced after traumatic events, predicted posttraumatic growth in those who have experienced trauma directly only. However, commitment was a single predictor in persons who have learned of the traumatic events experienced by their relative or close friend. Similarly, commitment and challenge predicted posttraumatic growth in individuals who experienced direct trauma and learned from their relative or close friend's traumatic experience and in persons who witnessed and learned about a relative or close friend. Additionally, these two factors were a significant predictor in a sample of those that experienced three ways of trauma simultaneously. CONCLUSION: It seems that regardless of the ways of exposure, hardiness, specifically commitment, plays a crucial role in individual's transforming traumatic experiences into growth. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Defibulation can recall the trauma of female genital mutilation/cutting: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Women with female genital mutilation/cutting are known to have psychological sequelae from the cutting and other traumatic experiences. However, very few studies report immediate psychological sequelae of genital reconstructive surgery in this population. The present case is the first to our knowledge to report post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms immediately following defibulation, a procedure common in women with female genital mutilation/cutting type III. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 31-year-old Sudanese nulliparous woman in the second trimester of pregnancy with female genital mutilation/cutting type IIIa who was referred for antepartum defibulation to facilitate a vaginal birth. Immediately after an uncomplicated surgery under local anesthesia and just before the first micturition, she developed post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and suddenly recalled the traumatic experience of her first micturition after female genital mutilation/cutting when she was a child in Sudan. The woman was offered psychiatric follow-up with psychotherapy for 4 months and a short course of benzodiazepines. She had fully recovered by the time of delivery, 4 months after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: We discuss the possibility of recall of a past traumatic experience of female genital mutilation/cutting during defibulation or other genital surgeries. We review the benefits and risks of defibulation, the impact of this procedure, and the setting and timing in which it is performed, focusing on women's mental health and psychological support.

Exploring the knowledge base of trauma and trauma informed care of staff working in community residential accommodation for adults with an intellectual disability.

BACKGROUND: Taking a trauma informed care approach has demonstrated positive outcomes for services for people in the general population. Given the increased vulnerability to psychological trauma for adults with an intellectual disability, this study explores what residential staff know about trauma and trauma informed care. METHODS: Thirty-two staffs representing three staff groups: direct care staff; managers; and specialist practitioners, were interviewed using semi-structured interviews, which were analysed following a structured framework. FINDINGS: Each staff group held different perspectives in their knowledge of trauma and trauma informed care. Limitations were noted in staffs' knowledge of trauma, implementation of evidence-based supports, and access to specialist services for adults with an intellectual disability. All participants highlighted their training needs regarding trauma. CONCLUSION: Increased training on recognising and responding to trauma is needed among community staff supporting those with a trauma history if organisations are to move towards trauma informed care.

Can subjective perceptions of trauma differentiate between ICD-11 PTSD and complex PTSD? A cross-cultural comparison of three African countries. Correction to Palgi et al. (2021).

Reports an error in "Can subjective perceptions of trauma differentiate between ICD-11 PTSD and complex PTSD? A cross-cultural comparison of three African countries" by Yuval Palgi, Thanos Karatzias, Philip Hyland, Mark Shevlin and Menachem Ben-Ezra (Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 2021[Feb], Vol 13[2], 142-148). In the article, the number of participants listed in the abstract was incorrectly reported as "2,554." The correct number is "2,524." The online version of this article has been corrected. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2020-69781-001.) Background: The primary aim of the current study was to establish the cutoffs scores for the Subjective Traumatic Outlook (STO), a relatively new tool that examines the introspective worldview of those exposed to traumatic events. This tool was developed as a complementary scale to be used in conjunction with the observed-phenomenological measures of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) complex PTSD (CPTSD). The present study examines the predictive power of STO for distinguishing between PTSD and CPTSD in African countries. Method: A national representative (based on age and gender) sample of 2,524 participants was drawn from 3 African countries (Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana) who completed the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) and the STO. We conducted a set of analyses examining that alignment of ITQ probable PTSD and CPTSD and different STO cutoff scores. Results: Results suggest that the STO single-factor structure was stable across countries, had a strong association with PTSD and CPTSD levels, and had predictive utility in differentiating between PTSD and CPTSD. Moreover, we found that there are different cutoffs for the STO in the different countries. Conclusion: There is a strong but distinctive association between the introspective and the observed-phenomenological approaches of PTSD and CPTSD. Our findings call for more integrative approaches for the assessment of PTSD and CPTSD and suggest that there are cultural differences in STO. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

The moderation of maternal parenting on the association of trauma, dissociation, and psychosis in depressive inpatients.

Background: The effect of dissociation and parenting style on the relationship between psychological trauma and psychotic symptoms has not previously been investigated. Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a moderated mediation model to assess whether the association between psychological trauma and psychotic symptoms is mediated by dissociation and moderated by parental maltreatment. Methods: Inpatients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar depression (BP) were recruited. Self-reported and clinical rating scales were used to measure the level of dissociation, psychotic symptoms, history of psychological trauma and parental maltreatment. The PROCESS macro in SPSS was used to estimate path coefficients and adequacy of the moderated mediation model. High betrayal trauma (HBT), low betrayal trauma (LBT), paternal maltreatment, and maternal maltreatment were alternatively entered into the conceptual model to test the adequacy. Results: A total of 91 patients (59 with MDD and 32 with BP) were recruited, with a mean age of 40.59 ± 7.5 years. After testing with different variables, the moderated mediation model showed that the association between LBT and psychotic symptoms was mediated by dissociation and moderated by maternal maltreatment. A higher level of maternal maltreatment enhanced the effect of LBT on dissociation. Conclusions: Healthcare workers should be aware of the risk of developing psychotic symptoms among depressive patients with a history of LBT and maternal maltreatment.

Antecedentes: El efecto de disociación y el estilo parental en la relación entre el trauma psicológico y los síntomas psicóticos no se han investigado previamente.Objetivo: El objetivo de este estudio fue desarrollar un modelo de mediación moderada para evaluar si la asociación entre trauma psicológico y síntomas psicóticos es mediada por la disociación y moderada por el maltrato de los padres.Métodos: Fueron reclutados pacientes hospitalizados con trastorno depresivo mayor (TDM) y depresión bipolar (DB). Se utilizaron escalas clínicas y de auto-reporte para medir el nivel de disociación, síntomas psicóticos, antecedentes de trauma psicológico y maltrato de los padres. La macro PROCESS en SPSS se utilizó para estimar los coeficientes de ruta y adecuación del modelo de mediación moderada. Alto exposición al trauma de traición (HET), baja exposición al trauma de traición (BET), maltrato paterno y maltrato materno fueron alternativamente ingresados en el modelo conceptual para probar la adecuación.Resultados: Se reclutaron un total de 91 pacientes (59 con TDM y 32 con DB), con una edad media de 40,59 ± 7,5 años. Después de probar con diferentes variables, el modelo moderado de mediación mostró que la asociación entre BET y síntomas psicóticos estuvo mediada por la disociación y moderada por el maltrato materno. Un nivel superior del maltrato materno aumentó el efecto de BET sobre la disociación.Conclusiones: Los trabajadores del área de la salud deben ser conscientes del riesgo del desarrollo de síntomas psicóticos entre los pacientes depresivos con antecedentes de BET y maltrato materno.

Trauma exposure, social functioning, and common mental health disorders in Somali refugee male and female youth: An SEM analysis.

BACKGROUND: Refugee youth often face numerous adversities before and during forced migration. Although experiences vary across settings and subpopulations, common mental disorders are prevalent among refugee youth who are displaced in low- and middle-income countries. It is important to examine how risk factors are intricately linked and contribute to common mental health issues to inform clinical practice and social policy. AIMS: This study aims to test the pathways from risk factors previously identified as determinants of Somali refugee youth mental health (i.e. trauma exposure, substance use, social functioning, aggression) to symptoms of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and somatic pains. METHOD: We collected survey data in 2013, using snowball sampling to recruit Somali refugee youth (15-35 years old) living in Eastleigh, Kenya. We ran three structural equation models to assess paths from trauma exposure to mental health symptoms, through psychosocial factors including substance use, aggression, and functional impairment. We first conducted this analysis with a mixed-gender sample (N = 305) and then assessed gender differences by running one model for male participants (n = 124) and another for female participants (n = 181). RESULTS: In the mixed-gender sample, trauma exposure directly predicted substance use and both directly and indirectly predicted aggression, functional impairment, and mental health symptoms. Substance use directly predicted aggression and functional impairment, and substance use both directly and indirectly predicted mental health symptoms. The split-gender models revealed gender differences, with only functional impairment directly predicting mental health symptoms in the male sample and with many significant direct and indirect pathways in the female sample. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows the role of trauma exposure, substance use, aggression, and social functioning in determining mental health outcomes among refugee youth and how CMD symptoms are differently manifested across genders in this population.

Associations between childhood psychological trauma, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and mental health in female college students: Mediation of coping styles.

PURPOSE: To investigate the associations between childhood psychological trauma, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), and mental health in adulthood and to identify the mediation of active and passive coping on these associations in Korean female undergraduates. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood psychological trauma had a direct association with current mental health in adulthood (ß = 0.15, p < 0.001), which was mediated by PTSS (ß = 0.34, p < 0.001). Each coping style partially mediated the relationship between (a) childhood psychological trauma and mental health and (b) PTSS and mental health. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: It is necessary to develop nursing interventions to enhance coping strategies in female undergraduates to ensure better mental health and well-being.

COVID-19-related institutional betrayal associated with trauma symptoms among undergraduate students.

Individuals are dependent on institutions (e.g., universities, governments, healthcare systems) to protect their safety and advocate for their needs. When institutions harm the individuals who depend on them, they commit institutional betrayal, which has been associated with numerous negative outcomes in prior research. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, students have entrusted universities to protect both their health and their educational opportunities. However, many universities have failed to meet these expectations, and it is likely that many students experience COVID-19-related institutional betrayal. In two similar studies, we examined the prevalence and correlates of institutional betrayal among undergraduate students at a large, public university in the Northwest United States during the fall 2020 and winter 2021quarters. In both studies, more than half of students endorsed at least one type of COVID-19-related institutional betrayal, and higher institutional betrayal ratings were significantly correlated with both current trauma symptoms and COVID-19-related avoidance and intrusion cognitions. In Study 2, the relationship between COVID-19-related institutional betrayal and current trauma symptoms remained significant, even when controlling for gender, personal and familial COVID-19 infection, and past trauma history. These results indicate that COVID-19 institutional betrayal is common and may be uniquely associated with distress among undergraduate students. We suggest it would behoove university institutions to reduce COVID-19-related institutional betrayal.

Intersections of personal vs. collective trauma during the COVID-19 pandemic: the hijacking of the human imagination.

This paper explores how the deadly shadow of COVID-19 passing over the Earth constitutes a collective trauma that frequently opens up or 'triggers' un-remembered personal trauma, and it provides clinical examples of these intersections. The paper further explores how the human imagination, which we normally utilize to make meaning out of traumatic experience, can be hijacked by fear - leading to avoidance of suffering and to illusory formulations and alternative realities such as conspiracy theories. Alternatively, the imagination can be employed in more realistic and creative ways - leading through conscious suffering to healing and wholeness. Which path the imagination takes is shown to depend on the capacity of individuals to feel the full reality of the human condition in general and the exquisite vulnerability of our existence as fragile human beings at this moment in history. Ernest Becker's analysis of our 'denial of death' and his urgency to embrace our common human vulnerability is explored in relation to Jung's early tendency to deny the body. The author proposes that the more creative uses of the imagination, connected to a more humble and realistic apprehension of our common destiny, may be seen in the 'Black Lives Matter' movement that swept the world in the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Cet article explore comment l'ombre de mort de la COVID-19, passant sur la terre, constitue un traumatisme collectif qui souvent ouvre ou ravive un traumatisme personnel non-remémoré. L'article fournit des exemples cliniques de telles intersections. Il explore comment l'imagination humaine, que nous utilisons normalement pour donner du sens à nos expériences traumatiques, peut être détournée par la peur. Ceci mène à l'évitement de la souffrance et à des formulations illusoires ou réalités alternatives telles que les théories du complot. Mais l'imagination peut aussi être employée de manières plus réalistes et créatives, nous guidant à travers une souffrance consciente à la guérison et la complétude. Nous montrerons que le choix du chemin que l'imagination emploie dépend de la capacité des personnes à éprouver la pleine réalité de la condition humaine en général et la vulnérabilité magnifique de notre existence en tant qu'êtres humains fragiles à ce moment de l'histoire. L'analyse que fait Ernest Becker de notre 'déni de la mort' et son insistance à épouser notre vulnérabilité humaine commune est étudiée et mise en relation avec la tendance de Jung, au début de son œuvre, à renier le corps. L'auteur propose que les utilisations plus créatives de l'imagination, reliées à une appréhension plus humble et plus réaliste de notre destinée commune, peuvent se retrouver dans le mouvement Black Lives Matter, mouvement qui a balayé le monde à la suite de la flambée de COVID-19.

El presente trabajo explora como la sombra mortal del COVID-19 pasando sobre la tierra constituye un trauma colectivo que frecuentemente abre o 'activa' trauma personal no recordado. Se proveen ejemplos clínicos de estas intersecciones. El escrito además explora cómo la imaginación humana, la cual normalmente utilizamos para encontrar sentido a partir de experiencias traumáticas, puede ser apropiada por el miedo - conduciendo a la evitación del sufrimiento y a formulaciones ilusorias y realidades alternativas tales como las teorías conspirativas. Alternativamente, la imaginación puede ser empleada en modos más realistas y creativos - conduciendo a través del sufrimiento consciente a la sanación y a la integridad. Cual camino toma la imaginación, se muestra que depende de la capacidad de los individuos para sentir la realidad plena de la condición humana en general y la exquisita vulnerabilidad de nuestra existencia como frágiles seres humanos en este momento de la historia. El análisis de nuestra 'negación de la muerte' de Ernest Becker y su urgencia por acoger nuestra común vulnerabilidad humana es explorada con relación a la temprana tendencia en Jung de negar el cuerpo. El autor propone que los usos más creativos de la imaginación, conectados a una aprehensión más humilde y realista de nuestro destino común, puede ser vista en el movimiento Black Lives Matter que recorrió el mundo en las postrimerías del estallido del COVID-19.

Coronavirus: does its activation of archetypes of evil cause added psychological suffering?

Fear and grief caused by the pandemic have produced a powerful unconscious narrative in the collective psyche that the coronavirus is driven by an innately evil, and possibly divine, force. The resulting archetypal dimension of fear causes an extra layer of psychological suffering in individuals. This paper discusses how and why this narrative was created and why it is so compelling by looking at 1) the myth-making nature of the human psyche, 2) the psychodynamics of fear that drive the narrative, 3) the properties of the coronavirus and the pandemic that activate negative poles of some archetypes, in particular, archetypes of evil, and 4) asking how analytical psychology can help ease psychological suffering caused by these negative narratives, where one possibility is to invoke the transcendent function. The author's personal experiences as both biochemist and analytical psychologist elucidate how the transcendent function can promote healing.

La peur et la douleur causées par la pandémie ont produit un puissant récit inconscient dans la psyché collective, à savoir que le coronavirus est dirigé par une force intrinsèquement maléfique ou éventuellement divine. La dimension archétypale de peur qui en résulte produit une couche supplémentaire de douleur psychologique chez les individus. Cet article étudie comment et pourquoi ce récit est créé et pourquoi il est si convaincant. L'article procède en examinant 1) la nature de la psyché humaine qui tend à fabriquer des mythes, 2) les dynamiques psychanalytiques de la peur qui motivent le récit, 3) les propriétés du coronavirus et de la pandémie qui activent les pôles négatifs de certains archétypes, et en particulier l'archétype du mal, et 4) comment la psychologie analytique peut aider à soulager la douleur psychologique produite par ces récits négatifs. Une possibilité est d'invoquer la fonction transcendante. Les expériences personnelles de l'auteur à la fois en tant que biochimiste et en tant que psychologue analytique éclairent comment la fonction transcendante peut promouvoir la guérison.

El miedo y el dolor causado por la pandemia han producido una poderosa narrativa inconsciente en la psique colectiva, significando que el coronavirus es producido por una fuerza divina, innata del mal. La resultante dimensión arquetípica del miedo causa un estrato extra de sufrimiento psicológico en los individuos. El presente trabajo examina cómo y porqué ha sido creada esta narrativa y porqué resulta tan atractiva, prestando atención a: 1) la naturaleza creadora de mitos de la psique humana, 2) los psico-dinamismos del miedo que impulsan dicha narrativa, 3) las propiedades del coronavirus y de la pandemia que activan los polos negativos de ciertos arquetipos, en particular arquetipos del mal, y 4) pregunta cómo la psicología analítica puede ayudar a aliviar el sufrimiento psicológico causado por estas narrativas negativas, donde una posibilidad es invocar la función trascendente. Las experiencias personales de la autora como bioquímica y psicóloga analítica elucidan como la función trascendente puede promover la curación.