Reliving the Nightmare: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Essay

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.

174). Untreated, PTSD symptoms can last a lifetime, impairing health, damaging relationships and preventing people achieving their potential. However, prospects for recovery are good when treated correctly (Kinchin 2005, p. 199). According to Foa (2008, p.26), PTSD is seen to be a ‘multi-faceted disorder’ that poses a number of significant notional and practical challenges with regard to achieving an accurate assessment. Several strategies may be adopted by primary health care providers to assist patients with both acute and chronic forms of PTSD and various scales exist to measure severity and frequency of PTSD symptoms.

Among those who served in the Vietnam War, 84.8% of those diagnosed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder still show moderate impairment of symptoms, even 30 plus years after the war (Glover 2014). As of today, the Unites States has 2.8 million veterans who served in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, of those it is estimated that 11 to 20% currently suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. As of 2013, a total of 12,632 veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars are currently diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Glover 2014). Of course it is to be taken into account that these numbers are based on those who admit to experiencing symptoms and seek treatment.

At least 50% of all adults and children are exposed to a psychologically traumatic event (such as a life-threatening assault or accident, humanmade or natural disaster, or war). As many as 67% of trauma survivors experience lasting psychosocial impairment, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); panic, phobic, or generalized anxiety disorders; depression; or substance abuse.(Van der Kolk, et al, 1994) Symptoms of PTSD include persistent involuntary re-experiencing of traumatic distress, emotional numbing and detachment from other people, and hyperarousal (irritability, insomnia, fearfulness, nervous agitation). PTSD is linked to structural neurochemical changes in the central nervous system which may have a direct

A new Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) student is dispatched to her first emotionally memorable call. The first dispatch comes thorough as an unresponsive, 30-year-old female, but escalates to a cardiac arrest caused by a heroin overdose. When the crew of two EMTs and one paramedic arrives on scene, the new EMT stands in the doorway, staring at the patient. Her body was stiff from the rigor mortis, her arms and fingers curled in as though she was trying to get warm. Her skin was blue like she had been swimming in ice water for hours. On the day before Thanksgiving in 2016, this woman was found on her bathroom, dead too long to be saved by anyone. This is still the worst call I have ever been on and I will always remember every

Author Carl-John X. Veraja once stated “ The world has PTSD. It is a veteran a blown mind, having flashbacks as it begs the Sun for one more go-round. ” This statement uses the Earth and orbit of the Sun as a metaphorical representation of the constant struggle that veterans and non-veterans face daily due to PTSD. PTSD or formally known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is known as, “…a psychiatric disorder that can occurs following the experiences 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”( “What is PTSD?”) . PTSD has affected millions that have encountered a traumatic experience. People that have more stressful occupations or life experience such as being a military employee seem to be more prone to being subject to PTSD. PTSD among soldiers have soared over the last fifty years even with the increase reports of rape, domestic violence, and sexual assault reported by The New York Times (Bannerman). Though the military have impanelment more action toward the growing dilemma it has yet to make any monumental acts to promote the well being of soldiers that are mentally affected by their time in the army.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, also known as PTSD, is one of few mental illnesses that is triggered by a disturbing event. Many Americans experience traumatic events ranging from simple car and airplane accidents to sexual assault and domestic violence. Natural disasters is also a cause for PTSD. Hurricanes, earthquakes, and tornadoes, affect multiple people simultaneously. In other words, PTSD is a state in which

Before the 9/11 attacks, studies of the prevalence of PTSD in the United States demonstrated that 5 to 6 percent of men and 10 to 14 percent of women had had PTSD at some time in their lives, making it the fourth most common psychiatric disorder. Data from general population surveys in New York City after the 9/11 terrorist attacks indicated substantial PTSD symptoms. Galea and colleagues (2002) found that

To be diagnosed with PTSD the person doesn’t have to have all the symptoms but must have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event, and the event had to have detrimentally affected the person emotional state. Then the person must have at least one of the re-experiencing symptoms, three of the avoidance symptoms, and at least two of the hyper-arousal symptoms, to be diagnosed. But the diagnosis of PTSD doesn’t rest solely on the symptoms themselves, there other factors that have to be taken into consideration as well. Some of the other the factors that have to be assessed before the diagnosis is given are: “how the person initially responded to the traumatic event, how long the symptoms have been experienced, and the extent with which those symptoms interfere with a person's life.”(Tull 2009) Once all the evidence of symptoms and other factors have been gathered

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be a very serious and debilitating condition that occurs after a person has been exposed to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical danger happened or was threatened. The kinds of traumatic events triggering PTSD in people include violent personal assaults (rape, mugging), natural disasters (hurricanes, tornadoes), man-made disasters (bombings), accidents or military combat. 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 a person’s daily life. PTSD is a complicated

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a widespread disorder that affects certain individuals psychologically, behaviorally, and emotionally following the experience of a traumatic event (Lee et al., 2005, p. 135). However, because of inconsistencies regarding the percentage of individuals who experience PTSD and the percentage of individuals who subsequently develop PTSD, researchers hypothesize that both biological and environmental factors contribute to the development of PTSD (Wolf et al. 2010, p. 328). In order gain a better understanding of this disorder and to discover contributing and predicative factors which contribute to the development of PTSD, this paper analyses the historical context and prevalence of PTSD, the

According to Dr. Baranosky, post-traumatic stress disorder can be considered as “brain injury” related to mental problems, such as emotional disorders and fanciful psychological behaviors. The root of PTSD is usually the experience of extremely shocking events which cause severe concussion in human 's brain and consciousness. The patients could be the witnesses of dire deaths of their teammates during the wars or a natural disaster, for example an earthquake, a tsunami, a volcanic eruption, in which they feel that their life is in danger and they are desperate to do anything. In addition, physical injuries or diagnosis of serious illness can also bring about post-traumatic stress disorders. Those victims, who suffer from PTSD, usually experience uncomfortable memories, distressing feelings, nightmares, loss of concentration and guilty feelings, (2012, pp.11).

My patient is a male; he is African American in his early 40’s. Based on his actions and his way of thinking he has post-traumatic stress. He has been through some stressful situations that do not help at all because he is traumatized by events he has experienced in the past. He gets flashbacks whenever he goes to sleep witch he would consider being “nightmares”.

Review on How the Amygdala’s Emotional Function can Affect Sufferers of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects 7.7 million American adults and can also occur during childhood. PTSD is an anxiety disorder that stems from a recent emotional threat such as a natural, disaster, war, and car accidents. PTSD usually occurs from an injury or coming close death. A person who has experienced a past traumatic event has a heightened chance of being diagnosed with PTSD after a current trauma. PTSD can also be determined by looking at one’s genes, different emotions, and current or past family setting. Normally, when a person without PTSD goes through a traumatic event the body releases stress hormones, which in time returns back to normal; However, a person with PTSD releases stress hormones that do not return