Silvia And Deborah Case Study

This paper looks at the biological, psychological and social components of two case studies the Case of Silvia and Deborah, and the Case of Virginia, and how these components mutually influence one another, which affects the physical, mental and social health of these individuals.
Case of Silvia and Deborah
Silvia is a 45-year old woman who lives with her 16-year old daughter Deborah. This case study is unique because neither Silvia nor Deborah was at the location of the traumatic event which happened 16-years ago, but both seem to be suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or in this case Secondary PTSD. As the biological, psychological and social components of the case are examined, the effects of early childhood parental relationships, stress, and maladaptive coping skills can lead to physical

Therefore, when the tragic event 10-years ago on 9/11 took Silvia’s partner Judy, she becomes inconsolable. Silvia began suffering from depression, and symptoms secondary PTSD (e.g. nightmares, anger, and being startled easily). Due to the traumatic event on 9/11 Silvia has been exhibiting avoidance from taking part in her daily life. The psychological effects of the traumatic, in which Judy died has caused her to dissociate or “disconnect” from her life. The dissociation is made possible through the biological and psychological process, where levels of endogenous opioids increase, creating a sense of well-being and a decrease in explicit processing of the event (Cozolino, 2017b). Furthermore, the derealization and depersonalization reaction that Silvia is displaying allows her to avoid the reality of Judy’s death and the importance of moving on, as evident by Silvia stating, “She feels like she’s watching herself go through the motions” of living without actually