Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that may occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event, series of events or set of circumstances.
History
History of disorder (who named it and when?) “The term post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has become a household name since its first appearance in 1980 in the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-lll) published by the American Psychiatric Association, In the collective mind, this diagnosis is associated with the legacy of the Vietnam War disaster.” About 6 out of every 100 people (or 6% of the U.S. population) will have PTSD at some point in their lives.
Different Types:
- Normal Stress Response
- Acute Stress Response
- Uncomplicated PTSD
- Comorbid PTSD
Incidence
PTSD can be developed by anyone at any age. Statistically most non white Americans are the most affected by PTSD.
Diagnosis
Symptoms of PTSD usually begin within 3 months of the traumatic event, but they sometimes emerge later. To meet the criteria for PTSD, a person must have symptoms for longer than 1 month, and the symptoms must be severe enough to interfere with aspects of daily life, such as relationships or work.
Causes
Although PTSD can not be inherited, trauma symptoms can be passed from parent to child or between generations. This is called "intergenerational transmission of trauma." This has been seen in the families of WWII Holocaust survivors. It is also seen in the families of combat Veterans with PTSD. Self medicating can cause symptoms to worsen. Excessive use of drugs and alcohol can prolong treatment.Traumatic experiences which can include emotional, physical, or sexual trauma.
Symptoms
PTSD shows itself in many ways including intrusive thoughts, nightmares, being easily startled, feeling tense, on guard, or on edge, having difficulty concentrating, having difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, feeling irritable and having angry or aggressive outbursts, engaging in risky, reckless, or destructive behavior. Brain regions that are felt to play an important role in PTSD include hippocampus, amygdala, and the prefrontal cortex. Cortisol and norepinephrine are two neurochemical systems that are critical in the stress response
Treatment
Depending on the severity of your PTSD it can be treated with a multitude of different therapies. CBT or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is probably the most common. Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on the relationship among thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and notes how changes in any one domain can improve functioning in the other domains. For example, altering a person’s unhelpful thinking can lead to healthier behaviors and improved emotion regulation. CBT targets current problems and symptoms and is typically delivered over 12-16 sessions in either individual or group format.
Famous Case
My friend, let’s call her Tracy, suffered from a pretty extreme sexual trauma last summer. Like most who suffer from trauma, asking for help can be the hardest step. She was suggested to go to a Psychotherapist who specializes in severe trauma where she was diagnosed with PTSD. She suffers from many symptoms which include flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, having trouble focusing, dissociating, and panic attacks. She is currently in treatment using the CBT method that is stated above. She is learning how to identify these symptoms during an episode and use healthy coping methods to manage them. Her therapist suggests different meditations that target the source of the problem to help stop the anxiety or flashback.