Violence: our day to day stress

Abstract

 Among the many diverse effects of violence over people’s health, there is post traumatic stress, which is gaining space in the international scientific literature. People living in the large Brazilian cities is subjected to a feeling of chronic insecurity and violence. This paper intends to present and to discuss the problem of post traumatic stress from the point of view of public health. This is a bibliographical review study, designed to collect major definitions and concepts on this subject. Stress may be acute or chronic, depending on the time during which the symptoms start or last, and symptoms vary from light manifestations to more intense forms; they may also solve themselves quickly or demand health care. The type of reaction may vary from person to person. Reactions can be physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioral. Feelings of insecurity, fear and hopelessness may be present.