Shared Traumatic Reality And Coping Experiences Of Mental Health Professionals: A Qualitative Study

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 47 Sayı: 1, 70 - 84, 17.01.2025

Şeyma Sehlikoğlu , Esra Bekircan

https://doi.org/10.20515/otd.1551048

Öz

The experiences of mental health professionals exposed to social trauma is an under-researched topic. The aim of this study is to examine the shared traumatic reality and coping experiences of mental health professionals exposed to social trauma. Using an inductive qualitative approach, this study was conducted through in-depth interviews with 18 mental health professionals who directly experienced the earthquake in Turkey on February 6, 2023 and provided mental health services in the earthquake zone. The data obtained from the interview were collected under 5 categories and 16 subcategories. Since the participants experienced shared traumatic reality, identification, double exposure and traumatic countertransference against social trauma, they stated that they experienced feelings such as helplessness, sadness, inadequacy and guilt more intensely, and exhibited hyperarousal and avoidance behaviors against trauma. The participants reported that they struggled to meet their basic needs in the disaster area and that their workload increased due to both the inadequacy of physical infrastructure and the high number of trauma patients visiting the clinic. They stated that they tried to cope with the traumatic process they experienced by using social support systems and that they turned to drug use to reduce the destructive effects of trauma. They stated that they became stronger by learning after their traumatic experiences and experienced posttraumatic growth. Supporting mental health professionals in developing effective coping strategies and resilience in the face of societal traumas can have a protective impact on both their mental well-being and their professional competence.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Collective trauma, shared traumatic reality, earthquake, mental health professionals.

Ruh Sağlığı Profesyonellerinin Paylaşılan Travmatik Gerçeklik ve Baş Etme Deneyimleri: Nitel Bir Çalışma

Öz

Toplumsal travmaya maruz kalan ruh sağlığı profesyonellerinin deneyimleri yeterince araştırılmamış bir konudur. Bu çalışmanın amacı toplumsal travmaya maruz kalmış ruh sağlığı profesyonellerinin paylaşılan travmatik gerçeklik ve baş etme deneyimlerini incelemektir. Bu çalışma tümevarımsal nitel yaklaşım kullanılarak Türkiye’de 6 Şubat 2023 tarihinde gerçekleşen depremi doğrudan yaşayan ve deprem bölgesinde ruh sağlığı hizmeti veren 18 ruh sağlığı profesyoneli ile derinlemesine görüşme yolu ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Görüşmeden elde edilen veriler 5 kategori ve 16 alt kategori altında toplanmıştır. Katılımcılar toplumsal travmaya karşı paylaşılan travmatik gerçeklik, özdeşim, çifte maruziyet ve travmatik karşı aktarım yaşadıklarından bahsetmişlerdir. Travmaya karşı çaresizlik, üzüntü, yetersizlik ve suçluluk gibi duyguları daha yoğun yaşadıklarını, aşırı uyarılma ve kaçınma davranışı sergilediklerini ifade etmişlerdir. Katılımcılar afet bölgesinde temel ihtiyaçlarını karşılama noktasında zorlandıklarını ve gerek fiziksel alt yapı yetersizliği gerek çok fazla travma hastasının kliniğe başvurması sonucunda iş yüklerinin arttığını bildirmişlerdir. Yaşadıkları travmatik süreç ile sosyal destek sistemlerini kullanarak baş etmeye çalıştıklarını ve travmanın yıkıcı etkilerini azaltmak için ilaç kullanımına yöneldiklerini belirtmişlerdir. Yaşadıkları travma deneyimlerinden sonra öğrenerek güçlendiklerini ve travma sonrası büyüme yaşadıklarını belirtmişlerdir. Ruh sağlığı profesyonellerinin toplumsal travmalar karşısında olumsuz etkilenmemesi adına etkin baş etme ve güçlenme noktasında desteklenmeleri ruh sağlıkları ve mesleki profesyonellikleri üzerinde koruyucu etki yapabilir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Toplumsal travma, paylaşılan travmatik gerçeklik, deprem, ruh sağlığı profesyonelleri.

Etik Beyan

Çalışma Trabzon Üniversitesi Sosyal Ve Beşeri Bilimler Bilimsel Araştırma ve Yayın Etik Kurulu tarafından onaylanmıştır (Karar no: 2023-10/2.3 Tarih: 20.10.2023).

Destekleyen Kurum

yoktur.

Kaynakça

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