Post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) is a debilitating condition that can develop following
a terrifying event. Often people with PTSD have persistent
frightening thoughts and memories of their ordeal and feel
emotionally numb.
PTSD was
first brought to public attention by war veterans, but it
can result from any number of traumatic incidents. These include:
violent attacks such as mugging, rape,
or torture; being kidnapped or held captive; child abuse,
sexual assault; serious accidents
such as car or train wrecks; and natural disasters such as
hurricanes or earthquakes. The event that triggers PTSD may
be something that threatened the person's life or the life
of someone close to him or her. Or, it could be something
witnessed, such as massive death and destruction after a building
is bombed or a plane crashes.
Some
Fast Facts About PTSD
5.2
million Americans ages 18-54 are diagnosed with PTSD.
PTSD
can develop after an individual experiences a traumatic event
such as sexual or physical assault, witnessing a death, the
unexpected death of a loved one, natural disaster or a terrorist
attack.
67%
of those exposed to mass violence have been shown to develop
PTSD - a higher rate than those exposed to other types of
traumatic events, such as natural disasters.
One
study shows that 8% of Manhattan residents living below 110th
street (approximately 67,000 people) probable have PTSD related
to September 11, 2001.
2
to 4% of people in the United States appear to have PTSD related
to the 9/11 attacks.
People
who have experienced previous traumatic events run a higher
risk of developing PTSD.
Treatment
of PTSD can include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), group
therapy, exposure therapy, and medication.
Whatever
the source of the problem, some people with PTSD repeatedly
re-live the trauma in the form of nightmares and disturbing
recollections during the day. They may also experience other
sleep problems, feel detached or numb, or be easily startled.
They may lose interest in things they used to enjoy and have
trouble feeling affectionate. They may feel irritable, more
aggressive than before, or even violent. Things that remind
them of the trauma may be very distressing, which could lead
them to avoid certain places or situations that bring back
those memories. Anniversaries of the traumatic event are often
very difficult.
Women
are more likely than men to develop PTSD. PTSD can occur at
any age, including childhood, and there is some evidence that
the tendency for PTSD may run in families. The disorder can
be accompanied by depression,
substance abuse, or one or more other anxiety
disorders. In severe cases, the person may have trouble
working or socializing. In general, the symptoms seem to be
worse if the event that triggered them was deliberately initiated
by a person - such as a rape or kidnapping.
Ordinary
events can serve as reminders of the trauma and trigger flashbacks
or intrusive images. A person having a flashback, which can
come in the form of images, sounds, smells, or feelings, may
lose touch with reality and believe that the traumatic event
is happening all over again.
Not every
traumatized person gets full-blown PTSD, or experiences PTSD
at all. PTSD is diagnosed only if the symptoms last more than
a month. Symptoms usually begin within three months of a trauma,
although there can be a delayed onset and six months can pass
between trauma and the appearance of symptoms. In some cases
years can pass before symptoms appear, in this case the symptoms
are often triggered by the anniversary of the trauma, or with
the experience of another traumatic event. Symptoms may vary
in frequency and intensity over time.
What
Kind of Therapy is Recommended?
Most of the therapy that’s done for people who are traumatized
is a mixture of different approaches that include psychodynamic,
interpersonal and cognitive behavioral perspectives. There
are some kinds of specific cognitive behavioral approaches
that have been shown through research to be helpful. For example,
there is stress inoculation training (SIT) through which people
learn a series of skills in terms of coping with anxiety,
coping with their bodily reactions, such as jumpiness, and
learning how to deal with stress. There are also types of
exposure therapies such as progressive desensitization, in
which people gradually approach remembering the trauma in
increments that they can tolerate.
Psychiatric
Medications As A Part of Treatment
There are a number of psychiatric medications that have an
official FDA indication for PTSD. Those are mostly some of
the newer antidepressants, the selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors (SSRIs). However, the effectiveness of those medications
and a variety of other psychiatric medications varies enormously
by patient. Some PTSD patients may do well on mood stabilizers,
beta blockers (which help control the manifestations of bodily
overactivation) or even antipsychotic medications that may
help agitation and anxiety and flashbacks.
(Partial
Source: National Institute of Mental Health)
