Mental Molestation, Physical Assault, And Combat Action

When humans undergo traumatic events that threaten their safety and wellbeing, they may become vulnerable to nightmares, fear, excessive anxiety, depression, and trembling. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychological illness that results from the occurrence of a “terribly frightening, life-threatening, or otherwise unsafe experience” (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), 2012). This condition often leads to unbearable stress and anxiety. PTSD is significantly prevalent as indicated by data from the National Co-morbidity Survey which shows that at a particular time in their lives, 7.8% of 5, 877 adults in America suffered from PTSD (Andrew & Bisson, 2009). In the general population, the lifetime prevalence is estimated at 8%,

Childhood and adolescence is a crucial time for humans- a time full of physical, emotional, and cognitive development. Upon observing the significant impact that trauma induced stress can have on adults following time in combat or an injury, when adults have fully matured in all areas, it raises the question of what influence post-traumatic stressors can have on development in children. This issue was so significant that in the DSM-5, the psychologists introduced a new, and separate, section of criteria for PTSD that specifically relates to the preschool subtype, or those individuals six years and younger. The first age specific sub-type for this disorder is important due to the rising number of studies and cases of PTSD in children.

The disorder did not become more common until it was affecting the veterans at war who are haunted by the tragedies of war. “PTSD did not become an official disorder until the American Psychiatric Association added it to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or DSM-III in 1980.” (Friedman) The DSM-III is a criterion for the classification of mental disorders that was first published in 1952. In today’s world, it is known as the DSM-V. PTSD in the DSM-III was classified as an anxiety disorder. However, today PTSD is now diagnosed as a trauma and stressor-related disorder. What we know now about PTSD is that under the classification of trauma and stressor- related disorder, a person must be exposed to a life stress related event to cause the disorder. What we also know now about PTSD is that it can occur in one of four ways: “direct exposure to trauma; witnessing trauma in person; learning a close friend or relative experienced trauma (indirect exposure); and repeated or extreme indirect exposure to aversive details of the event”

Lieberman, Chu, Van Horn and Harris (2011) review qualitative and quantitative data from a variety of researchers outlining the experiences of trauma in very young children (birth to age five) and initial signs of PTSD. In their research, they identify child maltreatment (including physical abuse) and witnessing violence as two of major contributors to the development of childhood PTSD, and noted that approximately 45% to 70% of children with PTSD reported an overlap between both of these experiences (Lieberman, Chu, Van Horn, Harris 2011, p. 2). Due to their limited ability to report occurrences of PTSD

Studies estimate that over one in four children will experience trauma before the age of sixteen, and many of these youth will go on to develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of their trauma (Silverman, Oritz, Viswesvaran, Burns, Kulko, Putnam, & Amaya-Jackson, 2008). Children and adolescents with PTSD can benefit from a mixture of the Cognitive and Behavioral models, presented in the form of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Specifically, Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is the most effective method to treat PTSD, utilizing techniques from two different perspectives (cognitive and behavioral) that can

Post-traumatic stress disorder, better known as PTSD, is steadily becoming a more relevant topic of conversation in our society today. Recently this disorder has received a lot of attention due to the conflicts our military personnel are currently engaged in around the world. Another event that brought PTSD to forefront were the tragedies of 9/11. PTSD is one of the rare disorders that are a direct result of an outside traumatic event. Make no mistake about it, PTSD might be a relatively newly diagnosed disorder, but it has been around for many years. Our military servicemen had reported these conditions for many years before, now we finally have a It is an unfortunate truth that many people in our society are involved in traumatic

Formerly seen in individuals from combat, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is now seen in civilians following traumatic events, ranging from violence, accidents, serious injury and life threatening illness (Association, 2000). PTSD has debilitating psycho-emotional and psychobiological effects, which can impair an individual’s daily life and can be life threatening. Consequently, individuals with PTSD often experience difficulties in maintaining relationships, which often leads to “occupational instability, martial problems and divorces, and family dispute and difficulties in parenting” (Iribarren, Prolo, Neagos, & Chiappelli, 2005). In some cases, PTSD can be severe enough to hinder the individual’s daily life and can lead to suicidal tendencies (Iribarren et al., 2005). Having this knowledge, PTSD is marked as a psychiatric disorder and has been identified as comorbid with other disorders, such as major depressive disorder (Oquendo et al., 2005). According to recent statistics, the National Center for PTSD estimated that 7.8% of the U.S. population would suffer from PTSD at some point in their lives, with women (10.4%) twice as likely than men (5%) (Iribarren et al., 2005; Kessler, Sonnega, Bromet, Hughes, & Nelson, 1995). However, given the worldwide turmoil, it is possible the numbers will increase and may even become a significant health concern of this century, since PTSD symptoms rarely disappear completely. Recovery from PTSD can elicit more stress, since it

PTSD is a psychological problem that affects people who have survived a traumatic experience. When a person experiences a traumatic event in their life, that event leaves a type of scar on their mind. Unlike physical scars, psychological scars may not heal and the person may be unaware of their symptoms. While these “scars” may not be obvious at first, they may cause problems later in life, sometimes months or years later. This makes recognizing the disorder difficult. However, much research in recent years has increased people’s knowledge of the symptoms of PTSD. It was first defined as a disorder in 1980 by the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) (Galea et al., 2005).

During the 1980’s an anxiety disorder known as PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, was recognized when one experienced something horrific and then began to re-experience the traumatic event (Bobo, Warner, and Warner 799). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder can not be cured, only treated. PTSD was originally brought into perspective when combat Veterans could no longer face their experiences on the battlefield. As years went on, victims of rape, assault, or witnesses of a traumatic event were also diagnosed with PTSD. Although society knows the name of this disorder, PTSD is often underrecognized and under-treated (Bobo, Warner, and Warner 797). Many know that it is an anxiety disorder, but few understand the risks that come along with it.

Chapter 10 examines various forms of abuse. Kanal (2011) sets forth that stress as it relates to abuse can cause Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. The author describes PSTD as a psychological disorder that is brought on by an event that occurs in a person’s life. PSTD is usually associated with military people returning from the combat but that is only one of many demographics that can be effected by the disorder; this chapter underscores in addition to PSTD abuse can manifest itself in a number of different ways. The author begins the discussion with child abuse. From a crisis professional’s perspective, dealing with children is complicated because depending on the age of the child, communication can be difficult. In addition, the child may

Common events that can trigger PTSD in minors include neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and psychological abuse (National Center for PTSD, 2015). Sometimes, adults tend to underestimate the severity of a child’s reaction after the event has taken place because some children disguise their feelings (Dyregrov & Yule, 2006, p. 177). If a parent is also suffering, it may affect their ability to emotionally support their child (Dyregrov & Yule, 2006, p. 177). The severity of the trauma, how the parents react to the trauma, and the child’s proximity to the trauma are three factors that increase the probability that a child will get PTSD (Dyregrov & Yule, 2006, p. 176). It is common for school-aged children suffering from this condition to show signs of disturbance in their playtime (National Center for PTSD, 2015). Severe PTSD symptoms in young children (less than six years old) may include wetting the bed after learning how to use the toilet, forgetting how to or losing the ability to talk, and being unusually clingy with a parent or another adult (NIMH, 2016). The signs of PTSD in teenagers are more similar to the signs that are seen in adults (National Center for PTSD, 2015). However, teenagers tend to show more impulsive, aggressive, and vengeful behavior (National Center for PTSD, 2015). Other factors that are related to later posttraumatic problems include prior psychiatric issues, prior exposure to trauma, the female gender, and family issues (Dyregrov & Yule, 2006, p.

Post traumatic stress disorder is a psychological disorder in which the survivors of a traumatic incident or experience. Examples of this could include but are not limited to death, rape, survivors of a terrorist attack, or soldiers at war. Survivors of these incidents have a series of various symptoms (Wangelin, & Tuerk, 2014). These symptoms include, but are not limited to, irritating flashbacks, nightmares, angry outbursts, and trouble sleeping (Wangelin,, 2014). These symptoms seem to be prevalent in soldiers coming back from war and may negatively effect their personal and social lives. They are affected easily because of the trauma faced in their day to day lives. According to Wangelin (2014), between 8 and 20 percent of soldiers deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan have experienced some form of PTSD . This number comes out to between 192,000 and 480,000 soldiers. This paper will explain Post Traumatic stress disorder, its causes, and the effects it has on the soldiers life and their families. Also, gender differences and treatment will be taken into consideration.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD) results from experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event (Eerford et al., 2016). Individuals who are diagnosed with PTSD experience intense distress and reoccurring symptoms,

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a trauma-based mental disorder which could occur at any time throughout an individual’s life once a trauma is experienced, observed, or learned. The PTSD diagnosis is the culmination of a traumatic event in which the individual begins to have adverse symptoms such as emotional distress, hypervigilance, avoidance, concentration issues, anger, and uncontrollable negative thoughts about themselves and the world around them. The individual’s sense of significance, mastery, and formed attachments become compromised by their response to the trauma (American Psychiatric Association & American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

PTSD is a form of dissociation and involves two distinct parts that effect the consciousness and behavior of an adolescent. “One is numb and avoidant of traumatic memories, but more or less functional in daily life, and another is enmeshed in traumatic memories” (Diseth 83). These elements of dissociation cause attachment and adaptive disorders that will perpetrate further harm to the adolescent. Trauma is related to other behaviors in adolescents, such s numbing, social withdrawal, separation anxiety and new fears.