Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

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Understanding Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

What is PTSD?

Most people go through some stressful situations in life, which may result in feeling anxious and nervous for a short period of time, but this usually resolves and move on from the situation. However, when a person has suffered or witnessed a traumatic event, they may develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD can have an extremely negative impact on their lives and for their family and friends, and can greatly reduce the quality of their life. Having PTSD can also increase the risk of other mental health problems including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, alcohol abuse, suicidal thoughts and eating disorders.

What are the causes of PTSD?

PTSD is a mental health disorder that occurs in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event. Besides the traumatic event, there may be other risk factors that may predispose to develop PTSD. These risk factors include biological, genetic and social factors, history of anxiety or depression, or family history of mental health disorders. PTSD extends beyond war veterans, which PTSD is commonly associated with. Examples include abuse, victim of kidnapping or hostage or trafficking, witnessing or exposed to violent or traumatic events, car accidents, witnessing the death of someone, living through war, etc. Symptoms of PTSD may not occur immediately, and typically appears after a few months.

Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Symptoms of PTSD fall into the following broad categories:

  • Re-experiencing type symptoms: recurring, involuntary and intrusive distressing memories, flashbacks, nightmares and intrusive thoughts
  • Avoidance:staying away from places or objects that remind the person of the traumatic event or that might trigger symptoms, avoidance of related thoughts and feelings by making themselves overly busy
  • Cognitive and mood symptoms: trouble recalling event, negative self-thoughts, feeling numb, guilty or depressed, and sometimes derealization
  • Arousal symptoms: hypervigilance, being easily startled by stimuli that resembles the trauma, angry outbursts, irritability, reckless behavior

 How is PTSD treated?

It is important to seek help from a mental health professional for PTSD. Treatment options for PTSD include a combination of the following:

  • Psychotherapy with a therapist
  • Medication
  • Self-management strategies, mindfulness techniques
  • Group therapy and support groups