Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

This paper explores post-traumatic stress and how it is seen as a disorder. Post-traumatic stress can manifest into post-traumatic stress disorder. The evaluation and review books and articles seem to reveal a relation to these symptoms and military member, either active or non-active veterans. These symptoms do not manifest strictly into the full-extent of the disorder in all cases of military, however, things such as depression and other physical symptoms are discussed through the readings. The end result is that we discovered that through the readings PTSD will in fact lead to suicide if left untreated.

“My mind is on fire as I fear that any second, another enemy round will rip into my body and finish me off” (Johnson 2). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) effects the lives of many soldiers after returning home from war. PTSD is a psychiatric condition described in the DSM-IV as, a condition that requires a specific event to have occurred as a criterion for the diagnosis. The criteria for this disorder, according to the book Combat Trauma, can include flashbacks, times where you feel as if you are reliving the traumatic event, shame or guilt, upsetting dreams about the traumatic event, trying to avoid thinking or talking about the traumatic event, feeling emotionally numb or not feeling at all, anger or irritability, poor or destructive relationships, self-destructive behavior, trouble sleeping, memory problems, hallucinations, not enjoying activities you one enjoyed and feeling as if you no longer know who is living your day-to-day life.

PTSD, or Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, is a psychiatric disorder that can occur following the experience or witnessing of a life-threatening events such as military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents, or physical or sexual assault in adult or childhood. Most survivors of trauma return to normal given a little time. However, some people will have stress reactions that do not go away on their own, or may even get worse over time. These individuals may develop PTSD. People who suffer from PTSD often relive the experience through nightmares and flashbacks, have difficulty sleeping, and feel detached or estranged, and these symptoms can be severe enough and last long enough to significantly impair the person’s daily life.

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.

Working in the field of Emergency Response I have seen and felt first hand the effects of posttraumatic stress disorder. It is not possible to respond to emergency after emergency and not be subject to some of PTSD’s effects. When I saw this topic in the list I felt compelled to use this opportunity to learn more. My hope is by increasing my knowledge, of a disorder so prevalent in my career field; I can recognize the symptoms in others and myself before there effect becomes devastating.

In the United States (US) posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects 8 out of every 100 persons (United States Department of Veterans Affairs [USDVA], 2015). In which account for about 8 million people that include the military veterans (USDVA, 2015). About 10% of women and 4% of men will develop PTSD during some course of their lives (USDVA, 2015). Veterans are more susceptible to PTSD due to longer exposures to trauma, danger, or witness a violent life threaten incidence during their military service periods (USDVA, 2015). The development of PTSD becomes chronic after no longer seeing or under the “fight-or-flight“ experiences causing a psychological and/ or mental breakdown (National Institutes of Health [NIH], n.d). Such

African Americans living in urban, low-income, impoverished environments are at high risk for exposure to traumatic events, and have a potential prevalence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) due to previous and repeated trauma exposure.

“Part of the torture is that the burden of guilt feels unending because you cannot undo the past” (Matsakis 119). In the book, Survivors Guilt by Aphrodite Matsakis, Ph. D, where Matsakis depicts what and why living with PTSD is unbearable. Matsakis explains that guilt is the root of PTSD. There is a never ending list of things to be guilty about after leaving a war, mainly; wishing you could get the health back of the injured, get back the lives that were taken and closure with soldiers you thought could have been saved. If the thoughts of these things could have closure and be let go, the survivor’s guilt would be surrendered. The quote, “Guilt demands punishment” (119), explains in such simple terms of why the root of PTSD is guilt. If the guilt is released, then the negative thoughts, feelings of hatred, anger and “what ifs” would all disappear.

12. When your mind blocks it out, it is essentially just shutting down your emotions like a light switch. However, it doesn’t know when to turn it back on. It could be days, weeks, months or even years before your mind will allow you to be capable of emotions again.

People wonder what can cause PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). There are multiple things such as domestic violence, sexual harassment, and military combat. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder victims deal with anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts on a regular basis if they are not getting treatment which can be as simple as therapy once a month or as complex as taking medications daily and going to therapy on a regular basis even then victims can still experience anxiety and depression.

September 11, 2001 or one may say the “911 “attack happened on that day. Al Qaeda killed nearly over 3,000 people. The victims were innocent men, women, children, and also people from all different ethnic backgrounds. Who are we, the community to blame responsible for these terrorist attacks? Throughout the years passing by 911 had important factors of change socially, economically and personally.

2015Across the US, it is estimated that 22 veterans commit suicide a day. This is a shocking and disturbing number. And what is even more alarming is that this statistic doesn’t include active-duty members. Between January and March of this year 75 active-duty Soldiers have taken their own life. These numbers are from the Pentagon’s quarterly Suicide Event Report. Veterans are returning from an active combat theater and taking their own lives at an alarming rate.

Firstly, Post Tramatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), is a relatively new diagnosis amongst the psychiatric association. This diagnosis is for the individuals who have been involved or witnessed a tramatic event and experience anxiety, re-experienceing event symptoms, whom avoid situations, display a negative change in feelings or beliefs, or experiencing hyperarousal. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was officially awcknowledged as a diagnosis in 1980 by The American Psychiatric Association (APA). The PTSD diagnosis was put into place to describe an individual who had been subjected to an event/s that were dangerous and terrifying leaving the individual feeling frightened and stressed even after there is no imminent danger or reason to feel endangered. An individual is diagnosed with Post Tramatic Stress Disorder if the symptoms keep reoccurring usually if the symptoms last more than six months to a year.

PTSD, or Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, is a psychiatric disorder that can occur following the experience or witnessing of a life-threatening events such as military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents, or physical or sexual assault in adult or childhood. Most survivors of trauma return to a normal state in mind. However, some people have stress reactions that do not go away on their own, may even get worse over time, or never disappear. These individuals may develop the problem PTSD. People who suffer from PTSD often go through the experience in nightmares and flashbacks, have difficulty sleeping, and feeling detached or misplaced, and these symptoms can be severe enough and last long enough to significantly impair the person’s life.