What is post traumatic stress disorder?
Post traumatic stress disorder, known by the acronym PTSD, is an anxiety disorder that results when one goes through an extremely stressful or traumatic situation. The life-threatening situation or terrifying experience can result in an emotional illness that does not manifest itself until months or years later. It can lead to the patient avoiding people, places and objects that he/she identifies with this experience.
Post traumatic stress syndrome has probably existed since time began but was only recognized as an anxiety disorder in 1980. It is common knowledge that soldiers returning from war suffered from this condition and at one time it was known as “Soldier’s Heart." It was also called shell shock in veterans of the world wars. Soldiers returning from the Vietnam War who suffered from PTSD were said to be suffering from post-Vietnam syndrome.
What are the causes of post traumatic stress syndrome?
When a person has been in a life and death situation without knowing how various situations will turn out on a daily basis over a period of time, they often suffer long term effects from this experience. It is also a common disorder resulting from rape or another form of trauma in which the victim tends to blame oneself or spend time worrying if the situation could have been prevented.
Surviving a plane crash, for example, is a traumatic experience that can bring on this disorder. Its prevalence is not limited to war veterans and can affect children, teenagers and adults in all walks of life. It is estimated that about 40% of the population will experience post traumatic stress disorder symptoms at some point in their lives.
What are the post traumatic stress disorder symptoms?
Those who have post traumatic stress syndrome do not all display the same kinds of symptoms. These depend on the individual circumstances of the experience. The post traumatic stress disorder symptoms have been classified into three main groups:
- Recurrent experiences of reliving the event through nightmares, flashbacks or recurring memories
- Avoidance of people, places or events that in the mind of the patient have an association with the traumatic event, which could actually become a phobia
- Physical symptoms, such as sleep disorders, anger, irritability, forgetfulness, inability to concentrate and a state of constant alertness for threats
Experiencing the symptoms of this disorder can lead to thoughts of committing suicide or displaying irrational anger over simple situations that are perceived as being threatening. Persistent feelings of helplessness, shame and guilt are also associated with the disorder. PTSD seems to have a numbing effect on the emotions so that a person suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome may no longer have interest in things he/she once enjoyed.
In order to be diagnosed as suffering from this disorder, the patient must have symptoms belonging to one of the three groups for at least a month. While adults can put their thoughts and feelings into words, children are often unable to do this. Therefore diagnosing post traumatic stress disorder symptoms in children often takes the form of play related activities.
How is post traumatic stress syndrome treated?
Post traumatic stress syndrome treatment takes the form of both medical and psychological treatments. This involves providing patients with essential information about their emotional illness and teaching them coping strategies. Through psychotherapy, behavior modification helps to change the thinking about the event and helps dispel the inaccurate thoughts the patient has about the disorder.
They learn how to manage their anxiety and anger and through relaxation techniques they develop the ability to control both the emotional and physical symptoms. Anti-depressant medications may also be prescribed to help patients overcome feelings of helplessness and the inability to cope with the memories.