What Is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 5.2 million Americans suffer from PTSD each year. Who has it? Well, trauma is notoriously difficult to define: it can include personal injury like sexual assault or combat injuries, as well as cultural traumas like rape during war-time in a non-combat situation. So while some people can easily identify with PTSD symptoms that occur in their lifetime (things such as anxiety and depression), others may be suffering from long-term effects that happen after an event that they can't identify with

One of the most common symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder is fear. This fear is a result of the trauma that has been experienced. It can result in physical symptoms and extreme discomfort in many situations that may seem minor to others. There are different types of fear, such as:

"Acute Fear", which occurs immediately after a traumatic event has occurred; this way of reacting to the event can last for days or weeks, and then is often replaced with long-term anxiety or depression.

"Hyperarousal" is another type of fear, which involves being on edge or feeling like you are constantly in danger. This causes sleeping issues, stress and an inability to relax despite all efforts to do so. Because you become afraid of your own emotions this can cause depression over time as well.

Other symptoms of PTSD include: flashbacks, nightmares, being easily startled, sadness that may not be related to the original trauma (such as being sad all the time), difficulty experiencing positive emotions and even anger. Sleeping problems are common in PTSD patients due to nightmares and flashbacks.

Sometimes people with PTSD have physical problems such as headaches or gastrointestinal issues. They may also experience digestive issues due to their inability to cope with stress and having trouble eating healthy foods.

"This is part of a collection titled 'The Basics of Psychology' originally written by Watanzania and Geoface, (2005) compiled by Rachel James. Used with permission".

"This is part of a collection titled "The Basics of Psychology" originally written by Watanzania and Geoface, (2005) compiled by Rachel James. Used with permission."

It has been said that research shows that the most common responses to trauma are denial, rationalization and repression. There are many who repress their memories of the trauma they have experienced. This can be due to a sense that they don't need to deal with it right away, or because they don't know how to deal with it effectively.

Repression is a way to deny that something happened and to make it easier for the person to go on with their life. This is a way of coping with the trauma. It can cause issues later on, though, when they are trying to deal with other issues in their life.

When someone is going through trauma, they often fall into the pattern of "fight, flight or freeze." When someone is exposed to something that they feel like means danger, fight or flight are reactions. These reactions are designed by nature to help humans run away from or engage an enemy when they present themselves.

When a person becomes more defensive and is less able to "fight" or "flight" they may just freeze. This can make them unable to move or act on any thoughts they were experiencing in that moment. This is because the brain goes into a survival mode of sorts where it will do whatever it needs to retain control.

Many people who experience trauma use some sort of coping mechanism so they can continue with their lives and function in society. Denial and repression are two very common ways that people cope with their experiences. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but if used too much or for too long, then these techniques could prove harmful to the individual's well-being in the long run.

It is never too late to seek professional help if you are experiencing symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder. It can be extremely helpful, especially in the long term to have someone else help you deal with your feelings and reactions. You don't have to face it alone.

If you're still unsure, there are several online resources that can help you determine if you are suffering from any kind of trauma or PTSD.

"This is part of a collection titled "The Basics of Psychology" originally written by Watanzania and Geoface, (2005) compiled by Rachel James. Used with permission".

Treatment for post traumatic stress disorder typically starts with psychotherapy. Psychotherapy may use cognitive behavioral therapy or interpersonal therapy. Both of these types of therapy encourage the person to take an active role in their recovery and to be aware of triggers for flashbacks. Psychotherapy is also important for helping the person to learn new coping mechanisms and other ways to deal with stressful situations. Professionals help by providing a safe space so that people can talk about their experiences without feeling uncomfortable or judged.

Some patients may not benefit from psychotherapy, but still need help with psychological or psychiatric problems. Often times, a patient goes to a medical doctor for treatment of pre-existing conditions such as depression or anxiety (i.e., primary care is necessary), and then once the symptoms have disappeared, they go back to a psychotherapist who specializes in such disorders (i.e. psychotherapy is necessary).

There are a number of medications that can be used to treat PTSD as well. These medications are most effective when used as an adjunct to psychotherapy. However, there is conflicting research about the effectiveness of medication alone, because patients often believe that it cannot be effective without therapy. Psychologists recommend that medication should be combined with cognitive behavioral therapy. This is because the medication can help alleviate symptoms while the patient learns new coping mechanisms during therapy.

There has been discussion on whether or not Prolonged Exposure therapy can pose a threat to certain individuals who have experienced sexual abuse and how it may act as re-traumatization for them. The first study investigating this issue was the D.H.A.S.S. trial which examined the effects of prolonged exposure therapy for sexual abuse survivors (Dell, Marmar, Navarsete, & Cottler, 1996). The study involved 120 female rape victims and found that prolonged exposure therapy had no adverse effect on their PTSD levels or sexual functioning compared to a control group (which received a wait list control group). This was one of the first studies to show that prolonged exposure therapy has no detrimental effects on the trauma survivor or their ability to function in society after their rape and can in fact be beneficial post-rape treatment by decreasing PTSD symptoms and decreasing fear of future sexual assault.

Other studies examining prolonged exposure and its effect on sexual trauma survivors were conducted by Bryant, Harvey, and Ehlers (2003). They found that prolonged exposure therapy did not increase post-traumatic stress symptoms for sexual trauma survivors and could in fact be beneficial for treating PTSD in a number of areas including dissociation, self-perception, and arousal. Other studies in the past have also shown that some aspects of prolonged exposure therapy can be helpful for rape victims. For example, Ehlers & Clark (2000) found that cognitive processing therapy alone or combined with eye movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR) was beneficial to rape victims who had previously received PTSD treatment.

Conclusion

PTSD affects approximately 3.6 million American adults every year. It is among the most common and costly of psychiatric disorders in the United States, costing about $60 billion in lost productivity per year. Yet, although PTSD is a widespread problem, only about 30% of those who are diagnosed with PTSD actually receive services for their disorder (Kessler, Wolf, & Wang, 2011). This means that a large number of people suffering from this disorder do not have access to effective treatment.

One reason there are so many people who do not receive treatment is that people are often reluctant to seek treatment for trauma because they believe they will be judged or worse yet ostracized by others.