Daniel Zopoula On Misconceptions about PTSD in Youth

By Daniel Zopoula | April 4, 2016 |

Bishop and founding Pastor at the Miz City Church in Lethbridge, Daniel Zopoula has spoken out about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dispelling common misconceptions about the condition in young people. Zopoula is himself wounded and personally scarred by the circumstances surrounding his upbringing, but has emerged with both dignity and integrity. In spite of a modest background in West Africa, he chose a path in social advocacy in Canada and has followed his lifelong passion, inspiring others to greatness guided by love and justice.

Highly devoted to Christian practice, Dr. Daniel Zopoula is the Bishop and founding Pastor at the Miz City Church in Lethbridge, Alberta, and a senior consultant at Life Direction Training and Consulting Incorporated. With a profound awareness of human nature and mental health, Zopoula is well placed to address the issue of PTSD in young people, explaining on his website recently that research has revealed children as young as one to six can develop PTSD. The symptoms in children differ from those experienced by adults, with young sufferers perhaps forgetting how to talk, acting out the traumatic event or events during play, exhibiting clingy behavior, having extreme temper tantrums, or being aggressive in their conduct.

Daniel Zopoula - Addresses Misconceptions about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Young People“Thankfully, PTSD can be effectively managed and treated with medication, especially when used alongside other techniques,” expressed Daniel Zopoula. Psychotherapy can help with the processing of the event, and self-management strategies can teach someone to manage their feelings and calm themselves, perhaps even with the help of a service animal such as a dog or a horse (equine assisted therapy). A myth that surrounds PTSD is that a person will eventually overcome their trauma in time. However, PTSD can occur some time after a disturbing event, or something can happen to trigger an onset of symptoms. People who experience repeated situations such as neglect, abuse or violence, may be diagnosed with complex PTSD, which may not develop until years after the event. “Another myth is a mistaken belief that where the trauma occurred in the past, it is too late to do anything about it,” Zopoula says. “It is never too late to address the trauma. If severe trauma has been experienced early on in life, then it can affect a child’s development.”

The public speaker, author, and trusted advisor, Daniel Zopoula is also an advocate for mental health. He explains that the exact cause of PTSD is not fully understood, but could be due to the human survival mechanism working to prepare you should the event occur again. It may be attributed to abnormally high levels of adrenaline, or perhaps it is due to changes in the brain as a result of the traumatic event or episode. Symptoms of PTSD can include intrusive memories or flashbacks, avoidance of certain subjects or places, negative mood swings or feeling numb and changes in emotional reactions or behavior. PTSD is triggered by a terrifying event, either experiencing it first-hand or being a witness. Children can be particularly vulnerable when circumstances deprive them of the protection and support they deserve in life and Zopoula aims to help wherever he can.

Born in Burkina Faso, West Africa, Dr. Daniel Zopoula studied the Bible and theology at a number of schools in Canada and the United States. Zopoula established the Bridges of Hope International Network in the late 1990s to give something tangible back to communities in developing nations. The multinational, non-profit organization is dedicated to overcoming poverty and injustice, assisting with economic development and providing practical assistance to children, families and communities. The charity has provided medical aid and micro-financing initiatives, among other programs, with the aim of encouraging growth and sustainability, leveraging contributions amongst the poorest of people in Canada and beyond.

 

MORE NEWS HERE:

Daniel Zopoula – Bishop, Author, and Charity Leader: http://danielzopoulanews.com

 

OTHER ARTICLES:

Daniel Zopoula — Highlights Importance of Unity in Struggling Communities: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/daniel-zopoula-highlights-importance-unity-030641299.html

Daniel Zopoula — Helps Families Overcome Poverty Through the Bridges of Hope: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/daniel-zopoula-helps-families-overcome-045404130.html

 

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About Daniel Zopoula

Daniel is a is a provocative leader in Christian Practice. A long-distance runner in the struggle for justice, Daniel's journey is rooted in a rich African tradition of soulcraft that put a premium on Ancestor appreciation, gentle embrace of others, cultural manners and social justice. Though deeply wounded and perennially scarred by the traumatic circumstances that paved the realities of his upbringings, Daniel emerged with great dignity, decency and integrity, love, courage and humour; choosing social advocacy rather than a life of blind avarice and personal subservience. The sum realities of pervasive terror, chronic trauma and vicious stigma that was shot through the "soul-making" of young Daniel yielded his true passion to profoundly influence, lead and inspire people from all walks of life into positive change and bearing witness to love and justice. Daniel's story is a tale of a man courageous enough to be fully human, living and loving out loud: "When your life doesn't belong to you, survival is not required," he says. Daniel writes and speaks internationally on Christian Practice, Spiritual & Emotional Leadership, Inspiration, Personal & Organizational health, Family Systems, Trauma, and Emotional Wellness. Daniel is a personal growth, and spiritual health consultant; a Life Coach, Spiritual Adviser, Author, Speaker, Activist.

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