Case study analysis Sharon is a 23 year-old single woman who lives...

Case study analysis

Sharon is a 23 year-old single woman who lives with her older sister. She left university 2 years ago after being sexually assaulted while out on a date with a male student she met through class. Since being sexually assaulted she has experienced a variety of symptoms that have not gone away with time. She has unwanted memories of the assault whenever she sees a man who resembles the person who assaulted her. She often has nightmares about the assault and sometimes they are so distressing she is unable to fall back asleep without leaving the lights on or taking an extra sleeping pill. She has experienced several panic attacks when thinking about the assault and avoids watching movies that may show a rape scene. She has been unable to talk about the assault with her physician even though she is afraid she may have been exposed to a sexually transmitted disease. She has never told any friends or family as she is scared they will not believe her or will think badly of her (even though a person is never to blame for a sexual assault regardless of the circumstances). She was unable to continue attending university due to fear she would see the man who assaulted her and extreme difficulties concentrating on schoolwork. She no longer feels any enjoyment when with friends or family and she has let all of her hobbies go (e.g., quit her soccer team, doesn't feel like reading her favorite type of books anymore). She feels cut off from all of those around her and she doubts whether she will ever be intimate with a man ever again. This is particularly upsetting as she believes it will prevent her from having a family of her own despite her strong desire to have children. When out in public she feels constantly on guard, especially if men are around. She has found it difficult to keep a job and does not feel safe living on her own. Recently she has become very angry when her sister has brought male friends to their apartment and this is creating tension in their relationship.

Question – using the case study above please
discuss understanding trauma. How the knowledge of trauma would help the practitioner to work with Sharon.

This paper is a group work submission and I was given the sub-heading understanding trauma.

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