POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

 

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental condition that is developed or triggered by any traumatic condition either by experiencing or witnessing it such as natural disaster, sexual assault, rape, sexual abuse or harassment, severe accident, mental or physical distress related to any trauma and etc all are causes of PTSD. Most people go through traumatic events may have a temporary difficulty adjusting and coping with this mental disorder, but with the passage of time and better self care, this condition usually get better. But if once the symptoms get worse, it can be last for months or even years.

Sign and symptoms

Symptoms are grouped into following few categories:

*relieving; vivid flash backs, night mare of accident or any disaster, hallucination

* avoiding; avoiding people, things, places, or things that remind the trauma, being unable to express feelings, using alcohols or drugs to avoid memories.

*excessive arousal; increased alertness sometimes called hypervigilence, anger, fits of rage, irritability or hatred, difficulty sleeping or concentrating

*negative thoughts or feelings such as guilt

*flat effect

*young children may show delays in training like toilet training, eating and etc, motor skills or language.

*intense distress at real or symbolic reminders of the trauma

*physical sensation such as pain, sweating or shivering

*intrusive thoughts or images

STAGES OF PTSD

Following are some stages of PTSD

*IMPACT OR EMERGENCY STAGE

                                                        This phase occurs immediately after the traumatic event in which patient is struggling to come to terms with the shock of what happened. Patient will be highly anxious, hypervigilant or possibly struggling with the guilt.

*DENIAL STAGE

                               Not everyone who is dealing with the recovery of PTSD experience this phase. But those who will experience this, will attempt consciously or unconsciously to avoid the memories. Those who are prone to using alcohol or other substances will be especially numbing behavior at this satge.

*SHORT TERM RECOVERY STAGE

                                                                       During this stage immediate solutions are addressed. The individual with PTSD will attempt to adjust to everyday life and try to return to normalcy. This stage can go both ways either the patient will accept to take help from others or they will become disillusioned and somewhat cynical. At this stage night mare and intrusive thoughts continue and make everyday life difficult.

*LONG TERM RECOVERY STAGE

                                                    As the name suggests that the patient has to experience after effects for a long time. But with the help of better self care and medication the symptoms can be reduced.

DIAGNOSIS

SELF diagnosis include following steps. But keep in your mind that if you experience any of two steps, you may have PTSD.

*you are often irritable or angry

*you constantly feel guard or you are easily startled

*you engage in risky or dangerous behavior

*you have troubled sleeping

*you have troubled staying focused

 

TREATMENT

When you have PTSD you might think that you will never come back to your life, but if it is treated well and you take care of yourself in a better way you can reduced its symptoms and can lead a normal life.

CBT (cognitive behavior therapy) is a type of psychotherapy that has believed to be most effective treatment of PTSD.

Some common treatments of PTSD are as follows:

*therapy

It has three main goals

1-      improve your symptoms

2-      2-teach you skills to deal with it

3-      Restore your self esteem

*cognitive processing therapy

*prolonged exposure therapy

*eye movement desensitization and reprocessing

*stress inoculation training

*medication

1-fluoxetine

2-paroxetine

3-sertraline

4-venlafaxine

*antidepressants

*betablocker

SSRIs are considered as first-line therapy treatment for PTSD.