Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, developed as a syndrome after the Vietnam War and the diagnosis made its way into the 1980 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or the DSM-III manual. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the key concept in PTSD encompasses a traumatic event outside the usual range of human encounters. The concept envisions events such as rape, torture, war, natural disasters like earthquakes, volcanoes or tsunamis and man-made disasters like airplane crashes, automobile accidents or nuclear disasters. Many soldiers returning from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan exhibit symptoms of the condition.
Development of PTSD: The patient encounters a “stressor” that means that he or she underwent exposure to a past event considered to be traumatic. An individual lives through a traumatic event that exposed them to seeing horrible things, fearing for their lives and feeling helpless under the circumstances. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reports that the emotional turmoil creates changes in the brain producing PTSD. The symptoms usually manifest appearance within three months of an event, but may take months or years to surface. Four categories of symptoms arise in PTSD.
Intrusive Symptoms: Intrusive thoughts represent the most identifiable symptoms in PTSD. Individuals remember the mental images in distressing daydreams, disturbing nightmares and psychotic episodes reliving the original experience. Psychotic episodes refer to the PTSD flashbacks. The person may actually feel the event is occurring again.
Avoidant Symptoms: Individuals may use avoidance to deal with a traumatic event. The person avoids feelings, thoughts and circumstances associated with the event triggering the PTSD. By steering clear of the thought processes about the triggering event, the person attempts to reduce the emotional anguish associated with the traumatic response to the event.
Symptoms of Hyperarousal: Hyperarousal means a person remains constantly on edge or tense. The person easily startles during daily life routines. This state of constant uneasiness contributes to difficulty eating, sleeping and concentrating on performing daily tasks or work assignments.
Associated Features: Other personal difficulties occur in association with PTSD that impact the daily functioning of individuals with the condition. These problems include alcohol or drug use, divorce and domestic violence, employment issues and feelings of hopelessness, shame or despair.
Treatment: The main treatment involves the use of talk therapy (cognitive behavioral therapy). Mental health specialists interact with the individual with PTSD in 45 to 60 minute sessions. Medications used in depression exert some positive effects to relieve some of the symptoms of depression. The PTSD Alliance, a group of professional and advocacy organizations outlines available help for the condition.
Reference: National Center for PTSD (2011) Understanding PTSD. US Government: Department of Veterans Affairs. Accessed on 23 Jan 2012. Available at: http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/understanding_ptsd/booklet.pdf