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Post Traumatic Stress Disor

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It is natural for humans to feel fear when in danger. Humans rely on a “fight or flight” response, which prepares the body in defense against danger. However, people with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder have a damaged response to danger which causes them to feel fear even when there is no longer any danger. There is a wide range of causes for PTSD along with many different medications and treatments. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder develops after an individual experiences a traumatic event involving intense fear or witnesses another person experience a traumatic event. Although PTSD was first only related to war veterans, murder, rape, natural disasters or any other life-threatening situations can also cause a person to develop PTSD. A person …show more content…

Many scientists have been turning to genes that may have a role in creating fearful memories for an explanation as to what causes PTSD. They have also been studying different areas of the brain that control fear and stress such as the amygdala and prefrontal cortex. The amygdala has a role in the early stages of learning to fear and not to fear certain situations. The prefrontal cortex is said to help control the extinction of long term fearful memories. An individual genetics, brain area growth, and other environmental factors play a role in the risk of the individual developing PTSD after a traumatic …show more content…

Re-experiencing the traumatic event can come in the form of nightmares, night terrors, frightening thoughts and/or flashbacks. Nightmares can be a dream in which the individual feels like he or she is reliving the event or it can be an entirely different event that only reminds the person of the traumatizing event. Flashbacks are reliving the event over and over again and can produce other symptoms such as a racing heart and excessive sweating. Any reminders in the persons everyday life can trigger re-experiencing symptoms. Staying away from certain places, people, or activities that are reminders of the event is an avoidance symptom. Feeling lack of emotions and/or a strong sense of guilt, stress and depression are also an avoidance symptom. In some individuals tend to avoid the fact the event happened in the first place which causes difficulties remembering the entire event. Hyperarousal symptoms are not triggered by any reminder of the event but are constant instead. Angry outbursts, tenseness, and being easily agitated can make everyday tasks much harder for the individual to do. Some people who have developed PTSD may not show any symptoms for weeks after the

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