Syeda Farah Batool 43 Annals of Psychophysiology Volume 3, October 2016 ©Advance Educational Institute & Research Centre www.aeirc-edu.com ISSN 2412 - 3188 Original Article Life Hassles; Cause and Effect Relations among Diverse Age Groups Syeda Farah Batool1, Shamoon Noushad1,2 & Sadaf Ahmed1,2 1Psycho-physiology Research Lab, University of Karachi 2Advance Educational Institute and Research Centre Corresponding Author: Emanraza14@gmail.com Abstract This study was done to evaluate the basic cause of trauma among people of different ages. Stress levels in subjects were observed and their reported symptoms were analyzed on the basis of physiological indications towards neurological disorder. Impact of stress on individual’s mental health and social life were determined. Sadaf Stress Scale (SSS) was used to determine the level of stress in subjects, a questionnaire based Performa was filled for evaluation of physiological symptoms regarding their trauma. Subjects were divided into four groups according to their ages. Moderate to severe stress was observed among the age group of 18-24 and 25-31, and severe stress was found in 32-38 while subjects lying in last age group i.e. 40+ were in least stress. A cause of trauma varies among different age groups. Stress does have a great impact on nervous system by altering and modulating its function. Continuous exposure to stress or stressful environment can cause severe damage to memory and perception, which either lead you to severe psychological issues or may tempt you to commit suicide. Introduction An individual can be a fruitful addition to the society if the person realizes his potential and has a stamina to fight with the daily stresses of life, but all this is only possible if a person is Mentally healthy (Shamoon Naushad et al.,). A nation cannot proceed onto the track of success if the people are not mentally healthy. As Pakistan is going through the worst law and order conditions and has emerged as a country with limited resources or a country which is unable to utilize its resources. People of different age group are suffering from various type of stresses now a day especially in Karachi. These traumatic stresses are leading them to state of depression, especially people of young to middle age are the most affected categories among all. Trauma is basically a reflex action of a negative event that utterly affects the individual’s mental and emotional state (Hogan et al., 2014). According to National Institute of Mental Health (NIHM), trauma is not always associated with being a part of that traumatic event, it can also occur just by watching the event from a distance. There is no age or gender restriction to sustain trauma from a trauma-inducing event, although the rate at which an individual is affected varies from person to person (Hogan et al., 2014). Materials and Methods Individuals of age between 18-40 were investigated through a pre-designed questionnaire which determines the mental state of the subjects and evaluate the ultimate cause their trauma. SSS (Sadaf Stress Scale) is used as a tool for analyzing and grading the level of trauma from normal to severe. Results were analyzed by using MS Excel and SPSS version 16. To make the analysis easier and to identify the trauma in particular age and gender, we made groups according to their age and gender as follow and then concluded the results.  Group A = 18-24 years  Group B = 25-31 years  Group C = 32-38 years  Group D = 39-45 years  Group E = above 45 years As we had the lowest number of subjects that fall in group D and E so we combine these group and make them a single group “D” that has subjects above 40 years. http://www.aeirc-edu.com/ Syeda Farah Batool 44 Annals of Psychophysiology Volume 3, October 2016 ©Advance Educational Institute & Research Centre www.aeirc-edu.com ISSN 2412 - 3188 Results The above graph is showing the level of stress among individuals of different age groups, in which group A (18-24) and group B (25-31) has approximately similar numbers of subjects that are moderately and severely stressed subjects and has secured the second position in most stressed age group. The group that stays at top in most stressful age group is group C (32-38), which has the largest percentage of subjects that are severely stressed out. This graph represents the cause of trauma in the subjects of Group A (18-24), in which the most reported cause was emotional abuse. Collectively 41% of subjects reported admission and education related problems, while accidents and death of loved ones was reported by 37% subjects. Another consequence of trauma, “Domestic violence” was reported by 32% people. 42 44 0 56 3 0 10 11 21 19 40 22 34 37 50 11 0 50 100 A B C D N MI MO S 0 20 40 60 44.3 3.2 13 11.5 19.3 26 13 29 16.1 16.1 13 26 8.3 17.9 0 20 40 60 80 37 4.3 12 2 32 37 0 71 21 39 43 6 6 22 http://www.aeirc-edu.com/ Syeda Farah Batool 45 Annals of Psychophysiology Volume 3, October 2016 ©Advance Educational Institute & Research Centre www.aeirc-edu.com ISSN 2412 - 3188 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 0 0 0 0 0 71.4 43 57.1 0 0 0 14.2 0 43 This graph is representing the reason behind the trauma of subjects belong to age Group B (25-31), indicating that accident was the cause that affect 44.3% subjects of this group, while 29% reported emotional abuse and 26% reported unemployment as their cause of trauma. Trauma of individuals of Group C is illustrated in this graph. Emotional abuse and death of loved ones were the most reported causes of trauma among this age group. Individuals of Group D has trauma that are mentioned in the graph above, which indicates that death of loved ones, emotional abuse and marriage as their cause of trauma, while 14.2% reported unemployment as consequence of trauma. Fig# 1. is showing the case studies we have found during this study, in which a 42-year-old female with a very strong background of traumatic stress, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis afterwards, even the worst case was observed during this study was a Suicide attempted by a 24-year-old boy. 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 10 20 20 20 0 50 1 60 0 0 0 10 20 0 Case# Subject Data Stress Lead Them to 1. Age: 42 Gender: F Multiple Sclerosis 2. Age: 24 Gender: M Suicidal Attempt http://www.aeirc-edu.com/ Syeda Farah Batool 46 Annals of Psychophysiology Volume 3, October 2016 ©Advance Educational Institute & Research Centre www.aeirc-edu.com ISSN 2412 - 3188 Psychological Trauma Sense Of Helplessness And Fear Disturbance In Neurological And Behavioral Patterns Discussion According to this study, people belong to age group A, B and C were the most affected ones from stress especially subjects of Group C were found to be the most affected group that has the maximum numbers of subjects that are severely affected by their trauma. Kathleen. J, Moroz et al., 2005 concluded from a number of surveys done on US population regarding psychological trauma that the youth of United states of America was more psychologically affected by the stressful event than does the adult or old, but as far as this study was concerned it reveals that late adults are more affected by trauma than youth and adolescents, but the fact that we cannot see through is the level of stress that keep on increasing in adolescent and it showed itself with a bang at mid-aged individuals. This might be because of the regrets of past and unrevealed wishes. The cause of trauma could differ from age groups but the reason is just as mentioned above (Peter A. Levine et al., 1997). Another factor that cannot be neglected in Pakistan especially in Karachi robberies, target killings, snatching and brutal attacks from terrorists have now became routine and almost every single person is a victim either direct victim or indirect (S. Ahmed et al.,2014). This is the major reason why our population is suffering from that much emotional distress. Emotional abuse, death of loved and accidents were the most reported cause of trauma of the individual while education related issues and unemployment stands just after the above three issues. The International Labor Organization (ILO) presented in the report “Global Employment Trends” that the unemployment rate in Pakistan was 5.17% in 2013 and it has been raised to 5.29% in 2014 (Ali Sidiki et al., 2014). This is an alarming situation for everyone that approximately 50% of our population is suffering from stress majority of them are young, and they are choosing Death over Life. As “The regional directorates of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Human rights in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta”, has revealed that 50% of the total suicidal cases reported in Pakistan are because of poverty and economic crashes (The Express Tribune Pakistan, 2010). Unemployment is one of the most reported cause of trauma by the subjects of this study and they were suffering from severe stress, if this stress persist for a longer period of time it will start to alter behavioral and neurological pattern (W.Miller et.al.,2014). Table#1. (Adapted from W. Miller’s article entitled as “Traumatic stress, Oxidative stress, PTSD, Neurodegeneration and Cell Aging Hypothesis, 2014) Conclusion Stress does have a great impact on nervous system by altering and modulating its function. Continuous exposure to stress or stressful environment can cause severe damage to memory and perception, which either lead individuals to severe psychological issues or may tempt ones to commit suicide. References  American Psychiatric Association (1994). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edn. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.  Kathleen J. Moroz, The Effects of Psychological Tr auma on Children and Adolescents, June 30, 2005  NINDS traumatic brain injury information page.  Patricia A. Resick, Stress and Trauma, January 1, 2001,  Peter A. Levine, Waking the Tiger, July 7th 1997 by North Atlantic Books.  Sadaf Ahmed1&2, Shamoon Noushad, Sehrish Shahzad, Syed Zain Azher, Adnan Aziz, Muhammad Taha Saleem, Postraumatic Stress Disorder in Karachites Due to Random Events of Violence. 2014  S Ahmed, M Shaukat, A Hasni, S Noushad, Psycho-social stress as a risk factor for cognitive decline in houswives, 2011, Indian journal of health and wellbeing 2 (5), 935-937  Mark W. Miller and Naomi Sadeh Traumatic stress, oxidative stress and posttraumatic stress disorder: neurodegeneration and the accelerated-aging hypothesis, PMCID: PMC4211971, 2014  Kay Hagon M. 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