“I froze for fear of contaminating myself”: treating a case of chronic PTSD with tonic immobility in a physiotherapist frontline during COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

Objective:

In this study, we report the case of a health professional with experience of tonic immobility (TI) and subsequent development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of occupational trauma due to COVID-19 who received remote treatment with Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT).

Methods:

A case report of a patient followed for six months after receiving remote TF-CBT.

Results:

A 36-year-old female patient, the physiotherapist who developed chronic PTSD and experienced TI for fear of coronavirus contamination. Psychometric scales demonstrated that TF-CBT considerably reduced PTSD and depression symptoms and increased social support and resilience. According to the report, the treatment improved concentration and motivation, and reduced feelings of guilt, irritability, insecurity, and discomfort in dealing with other people.

Conclusion:

This article demonstrates that trauma resulting from COVID-19 can trigger TI and exemplifies a favorable performance of TF-CBT in the global improvement of the mental health of patients with chronic PTSD who experience TI.

KEYWORDS
PTSD; tonic immobility; COVID-19; healthcare workers; CBT