Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

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.

Although posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is sometimes considered to be a relatively new diagnosis, as the name first appeared in 1980, the concept of the disorder has a very long history. That history has often been linked to the history of war, but the disorder has also been frequently described in civilian settings involving natural disasters, mass catastrophes, and serious accidental injuries. The diagnosis first appeared in the official nomenclature when Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-I was published in 1952 under the name gross stress reaction. It was omitted, however, in the next edition in 1968, after a long

Post-Traumatic stress disorder, commonly known as PTSD, is on a rise in our country and expected to rise more in the coming years (Iribarren, Prolo, Neagos, & Chiappelli, 2005). PTSD is a psychiatric disorder than can result from the experience or witnessing of traumatic or life-threatening events (Iribarren, Prolo, Neagos, & Chiappelli, 2005). According to the Evidence based article examples of PTSD are terrorist attack, violent crime and abuse, military combat, natural disasters, serious accidents or violent personal assaults (Iribarren, Prolo, Neagos, & Chiappelli, 2005). PTSD has also been liked to possible exposure to environmental toxins such as Agent Orange or electromagnetic radiation (Iribarren, Prolo, Neagos, & Chiappelli, 2005).

When Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is mentioned or thought of, often the thought that enters the mind is military veterans who have witnessed, experienced and even suffered the tragic or violent events of war. It is true military experience can trigger PTSD and PTSD was brought to the attention of the medical profession by war veterans. According to the National Center for PTSD between 11 – 20% of those who served in Iraqi, 12% of those who served in Desert Storm and the numbers have been adjust to 30% of those who served in Vietnam have been diagnosed with PTSD in their lifetime. The National Center for PTSD goes on to list another cause of PTSD in the

Men and women of the military exposed to war/combat situations are at high risk for developing PTSD (PTSD: A Growing Epidemic). PTSD is a major issue facing many veterans as they come back home after witnessing the traumatic events of war, and the care provided for them needs to be vastly improved.

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”

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is described as a mental condition that results in a series of emotional and physical reactions in individuals who have either witnessed or experienced a traumatic event in their life. The person experiencing or witnessing this traumaticevent may feel intense fear, helplessness, or horror. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is defined as an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders cover different forms of abnormal, pathologicalanxiety, fears, phobias and nervous conditions that may come sudden or gradually over a long period of several years andmay make a hard for a person to complete their daily activities. There ismore than just emotional trauma that follows PTSD, there is also the physical preventions. PTSD

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

PTSD in America’s Military is a silent obstacle that must be overcome by not only the veterans suffering from the disorder, but also by the American people. To discuss how Americans deal with PTSD, we must first understand what it is. PTSD stands for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, as defined by the Department of Veteran Affairs PTSD “is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault.”(Department of VA). PTSD is a mental disorder that causes people to not behave as they normally would, due to them being “haunted” by some traumatic event that occurred. Some symptoms include: “recurring memories or nightmares of the event, sleeplessness, loss of interest, and feelings of numbness, anger or irritability, or being constantly on guard”(Make the Connection). These symptoms can lead to difficult, and even damaging problems to arise that affect not only the person suffering PTSD, but also those around them. Some of these problems include, but are not limited to, “feelings of hopelessness, shame, despair, depression, substance abuse, pain, and social difficulty.” (Department of VA). These problems lead to more problems, and if left untreated long enough can lead to even death. As you can see, PTSD is a debilitating disorder, that must be faced by veterans and Americans alike.

Post-traumatic-stress-disorder (PTSD) is part of many veteran’s lives in the U.S. today. PTSD is a serious mental and emotional disorder that people often don’t understand or don’t know about. It’s defined as a mental illness that develops after a person has lived through a traumatizing event, such as sexual assault, physical abuse, threat of death, or serious injury. Most people who experience a distressing event don’t develop PTSD, but for those who do, it’s extremely terrifying to go through.

psychologically changed (Department of Veterans Affairs, 2012; Satel, 2011). Peterson et al. (2011) reported that combat-related trauma is the second leading cause of PTSD in men. In this section, diagnostic criteria, assessment, and interview protocols related to PTSD are discussed. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – Fourth Edition – Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR, American Psychiatric Association, 2000) outlined criteria for the PTSD diagnosis and defined it according to its symptoms, duration, and the nature of the trauma. According to the DSM-IV-TR (2000) Criterion A must be met in order for a PTSD diagnosis: “the person experienced, witnessed or was confronted with an event or events that involved actual or

PTSD is diagnosed by discussing symptoms in therapeutic or psychiatric evaluations (Nordqvist, 5). A person with PTSD must pass the criteria listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM) published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) in order to be officially diagnosed (Ibid, 5). Once diagnosed, treatment can become an option.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), is a silent assassin in which those around the victim have no idea what is taking place within their minds. Only those closest to the person recognize that there is something wrong. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders diagnoses PTSD as persistent re-experiencing of the trauma, efforts to avoid triggers related to the trauma, and hyperarousal or increased reactivity (Reddy, 2014). PTSD is associated with exposure to a traumatic event and in some cases, symptoms of the disorder can take months or years to appear and even longer for the individual to seek help. PTSD is a very common occurrence in veterans, especially veterans who engaged in

Among the most common of mental health conditions is post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. Furthermore, PTSD can lead to severe physiological and psychological changes that are significantly increased when this trauma isn’t caught in its early stages. These traumas have a great impact on the patient’s personalities and perceptions. Therefore, there are different types of treatments that can be implemented accordingly to the patient to improve their psychological condition, and avoid unfavorable results on their mental health.

Learning more about PTSD, reaching out for support from family members or friends, relaxation exercises, and especially talking to a doctor or therapist are very healthy and helpful ways of coping with stress. Many people don’t believe therapy will be beneficial to them, or feel uncomfortable talking about something so personal with a complete stranger, but they are truly there to listen and help you work through your problems. “Both therapists and client work to build a ‘collaborative relationship’ based on persuasion rather than coercion, ideas rather than force, and mutuality rather than