Can sharing life’s memories help with PTSD?

Medical research shows that group reminiscence therapy involving the recall and sharing of life’s memories has had a significant effect on improving depressive symptoms, self-esteem, meaning of life and overall life satisfaction in older veterans living in veteran homes (Li-Fen 2011; Ke-Hsin & Chang 2014; Davis et. al. 2012; Davison et. al. 2016; Davison et. al. 2016; Chin-Teng et al. 2020). 

What are the wider reaching implications of this research for a world in trauma?

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is now recognised as affecting many of us due to traumatic experiences suffered in childhood and throughout life, so much so that it could be said that we are living in a world in trauma and in response, trauma therapy in its many forms has become widespread. 

According to APA, trauma is an “emotional response to a terrible event, such as an accident, a rape, or a natural disaster.” The word trauma comes from the Greek word for “wound.” Emotional trauma can be understood as a psychological wound that affects our functioning throughout our lives and our relationships until healed. 

Many people suffer alone with trauma or engage in individually orientated therapy, which of course serves an important need. Yet, could it be that the collective sharing of life’s memories, beyond and if appropriate, including traumatic ones, could help to alleviate the negative symptoms of trauma and improve well-being amongst sufferers, as it has been proven to amongst war veterans? 

As we look for solutions to our individual and collective trauma in what has become a severely segregated world, we must look towards the development of humane technology that truly connects us and can be utilized for this purpose.