Dreaming and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: The Connection

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a relatively new diagnosis that was associated with survivors of war when it was first introduced. Its diagnosis was met largely with skepticism and dismissal by the public of the validity of the illness. PTSD was only widely accepted when it was included as a diagnosis in 1980 in the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) of the American Psychiatric Association. PTSD is a complex mental disorder that develops in response to exposure to a severe traumatic event that stems a cluster of symptoms. Being afflicted with the disorder is debilitating, disrupting an individual’s ability to function and perform the most basic tasks.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder also known as PTSD is an emotional condition that can develop following a traumatic or terrifying event. PTSD has only been recognized as a diagnosis since 1980. This emotional disorder was brought to public attention after soldiers would return home and often referred to as “shell shock or combat fatigue”.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric sequel to a stressful event or situation of an exceptionally threatening or catastrophic nature. It develops after a person is involved in a horrifying ordeal that involved physical maltreatment or the threat of physical harm. These events can include combat or military experience, abuse during childhood or adulthood (physical or sexual), terrorist attacks, serious accidents or natural disasters. This person may have been the one that was harmed, witnessed a harmful event or had a loved one who was harmed. It is normal for the body’s fight or flight mechanism to engage in times of danger. With a person who has PTSD, that mechanism is damaged and the person feels this even when they are not in danger. Symptoms can be categorized into four different areas – re-experiencing symptoms (flashbacks, bad dreams, frightening thoughts) , avoiding situations that remind the person of the event, negative changes in beliefs and feelings (may be fear, guilt, shame or losing interest in those activities that once were enjoyable) and hypervigilence (always feeling keyed up, trouble concentrating or sleeping). There are also feelings of hopelessness, despair, depression or anxiety, alcohol or substance abuse, physical symptoms or chronic pain and problems with employment and relationships.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD is a mental health condition that is generally classified as an anxiety disorder. It is often caused by a traumatic events or emotional trauma in one’s life that leads to terrifying flashbacks, nightmares and extreme anxiety. The main cause of this disorder is the conscious and subconscious fear-memories that have developed. In essence the ‘fight or flight” response that we all have is severely damaged, even when not in a stressful or dangerous situation those suffering from PTSD may feel stressed and in danger.

The definition of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) according to The United States Department of Veteran Affairs (USDVA) is: “a condition that someone can develop after having gone through a life-threatening event.” PTSD is a horrible disease, there are many symptoms of it, and it can have a negative effect on the family of the person with the disease. In The New York Times article by Max Cleland “The Forever War of the Mind”, The United States Department of Veteran Affairs article “Post-traumatic Stress Disorder”, and the article “Daddy’s Home” by Heather Hummert, the idea of PTSD is discussed and explained in great detail from many different points of view.

It is also estimated that approximately twenty percent of these people progress and develop PTSD. One out of every nine women are diagnosed with PTSD which makes them about twice as likely as men to suffer the effects. Prior to PTSD being a clinically diagnosed disorder, our military personnel returning from various wars throughout history were said to be suffering from “shell shock”. Soldiers experiencing this displayed behavior related to having difficulty adjusting the life after combat. The first-time PTSD was identified as a disorder was the result of the Vietnam War. Our soldiers were finally diagnosed correctly and the term Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was first spoken. Currently, mental health providers such as psychiatrists and psychologists can attempt to understand people’s response to these traumatic events and help them recover from the impact of the trauma. Although the disorder must be diagnosed by a mental health professional, symptoms of PTSD are clearly defined. To be diagnosed with PTSD, you must have been in a situation in which placed you at risk for death, serious injury, or sexual violation. Traumatic, life-threatening events leading to PTSD must have been witnessed or experienced in person, and not through media, pictures, television or

Emotional responses such as “intense fear, hopelessness, and horror” are no longer included in the diagnostic features of PTSD in the DSM-5. In the new DSM, behavioral reaction directly related to the traumatic experience are found to be of better use for identifying the onset of PTSD (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). The DSM-5 requires the identified symptoms to be classified under four new diagnostic categories:

Effective treatment of PTSD can only take place if the disorder is recognized. Symptoms of PTSD are commonly divided into three defining sections: (1) reliving the traumatic event, (2) detachment and avoidance, and (3) exaggerated responses (NCBI, 2010). When a patient relives the traumatic event, it occurs in a manner in which it interferes with the normal process of daily life. This can include recurring flashbacks or dreams and distressing memories, which manifest negative physical reactions. Detachment and avoidance is demonstrated through loss of interest in current living situation, avoidance of people or places that may

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, (PTSD), described by DSM-5 is in which he or she has been exposed to a traumatic event either experiencing or witnessing the event. PTSD classified in DSM is related to the family of anxiety disorders but also involves dissociative symptomology (Dombeck). DSM first identified Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as a psychiatric disorder in 1980. The 1980’s had many mental health professionals having trouble diagnosing veterans coming back from the Vietnam War. Scientists believe PTSD was identified and recognized thoroughly in the view of soldiers coming back from the Vietnam War was because they were not openly welcome and were not identified to be heroes (Loughran, 2011). Since these soldiers coming back from

According to the dictionary diagnosis in PsychCentral, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is defined as a “debilitating mental disorder that follows experiencing or witnessing an extremely traumatic, tragic, or terrifying event” (PTSD Info & Treatment, 2013). While this definition describes the general definition of PTSD, the DSM-IV states that the criteria for being diagnosed with PTSD varies between a person who “experienced, witnessed, or was confronted with an event or events that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of self or others” and/or “the person’s response involved intense fear, helplessness, or horror” (DSM-IV, Appendix E). Such experiences can include various

To be diagnosed with PTSD, the patient must have been exposed to an actual or threatened death, injury, or other form of violence, and have at least one intrusive and persistent symptom following the event for a period greater than one month (DSM-5). And the intrusive symptom must present as significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other form of functioning (DSM-5). Trauma the key factor to diagnoses is clearly defined as including, “exceptional, life-threatening or potentially life-threatening external events and those associated with serious injury, which are capable of causing a psychological shock in practically any individual to a greater or lesser extent” (Frommberger et al. 2014). Frommberger and colleagues note that studies have shown that traumatic events contribute to other psychological illnesses like depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, substance abuse, and psychosis, which makes a distinctive diagnosis difficult. Seventy percent of all chronic PTSD patients have been found to have at least one other psychological comorbidity (Frommberger et al. 2014). There are other potential sources of error in the diagnosis and treatment process, such as feeling of guilt may lead the patient to conceal problem symptoms, thus the diagnostic criteria may not be met. Or during trauma-focused therapy, the patient consistently maintains avoidance, thus exposure measures will be ineffective (Frommberger et al.

This research analyzed the effects that traumatic events in life have on our dreams. Two pieces of research were reviewed for this paper. One is a study in which children examine their own dreams and interpret the meanings; the other is about people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) who experience nightmares after experiencing emotional trauma. These two journals suggest that significant events and feelings people experience in the past have a direct effect on the content of our dreams.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, which is defined by Barlow & Durand (2012) as an enduring, distressing emotional disorder that follows exposure to a severe helplessness-or fear-inducing threat. Meaning that the victims re-experience the trauma and may lose touch of reality through numbing responsiveness.

The study written by Carla C. Schubert and Raija-Leena Punamäki examines the mental health functions of dreams, as well as dream work in integrative psychotherapy with two refugee women. One of the refugees was from West Africa and the other was from the Middle East. What they both had in common, however, was their suffering of posttraumatic stress disorder, or more commonly known as, PTSD. Dreams tend to show a strong influence on life in many cultures. In some African cultures, they are viewed as a form of communication with their ancestors and/or God(s), whilst in Middle Eastern cultures, they are used to make important life decisions. Unfortunately, there is little research available to show dreams as a psychotherapeutic tool for refugees whom are traumatized.

What is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)? PTSD is a very serious anxiety disorder that occurs in an individual following an unsuspected experience or even by witnessing a traumatic experience in a person’s life. A traumatic experience could be a life threatening event from military combat, natural disasters, serious accidents or even physical or sexual assault in adults and children or adolescents (Dodson, 2010). Psychological causes of PTSD are widely identified by medical professions to be the number one cause of mental disturbance among children, adolescents and veterans. There have been horrific impacts of traumatic childhood experience or cognitive development abilities that have impacted among children and adolescents. The traumatic affects to those veterans who attempt to fight through demons due to the experience of being on the battlefield. Post-traumatic stress disorder experienced by sexually abused children could have long term effects in their occupational, social and over-all lifestyle. Numerous American soldiers that have returned from the traumas of war have experienced posttraumatic stress disorder; an emotional illness