Post Traumatic Stress Disorder | Real Help Is Out There For You
| April 4, 2011 | Posted by James Williams under Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Management |
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post -Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD, as it known, is not a modern illness. It’s only now that we recognize it as a genuine problem, that we understand many people need help to reclaim their lives.
The earliest record of stress reactions to battles were noted as early as the 600 BC. The Greek historian Herodotus noted that one Athenian soldier, who fought in the Battle of the Marathon, suffered no personal injuries, but went blind after seeing a fellow soldier killed.
Later, in the American Civil war, it was called “Soldiers Heart,” in World War I, “Combat Fatigue,” in World War II “gross stress reaction,” and in the Vietnam War, “Post Vietnam Syndrome.” Other terms in the past for Post -Traumatic Stress Disorder were “shell shock’” and “battle fatigue.” So, when did the term post-traumatic stress disorder come into use? Actually, only in the last twenty years or so.
Exactly what is PTSD? You may be wondering if you suffer this condition. PTSD is an extremely severe anxiety disorder that develops after personal exposure to an event that causes psychological trauma. Usually there is a threat or perceived threat of non-survival. We lose our ability to cope with every day life, and small stresses can have huge impact.
Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and treatments are gaining more and more attention as our lives are becoming increasingly threatened by our sometimes violent and rapidly changing environment.
Many post-traumatic stress disorder case studies are being done by various specialists to try to constantly improve the treatments available.
What causes Post -Traumatic Stress Disorder?
- Physical or psychological trauma, in some cases even both.
- Sexual abuse as a child; traumatic foster care.
- Rape.
- Kidnapping and torture.
- Watching some-one killed.
- Terrorism.
- Combat situations.
- A life-threatening medical diagnosis.
- Divorce.
- Unemployment.
Symptoms of Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder.
- Flashbacks.
- Nightmares.
- Problems falling asleep and staying asleep.
- Anger.
- Hyper- vigilance.
- Avoidance of places or things that remind one of the event.
- Anxiety Attacks and Anxiety Disorder.
If any or all of these symptoms go on for more than one month, then it moves from being “acute stress disorder” to PTSD. It can affect your life in three different ways: acute, chronic, and delayed onset.
It has been found that children who have not been given the correct treatment after a traumatic experience, may well go on to developing PTSD in their adult lives.
Post -Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms can occur when a person has suffered a traumatic event and it creates an overactive adrenaline response. This creates deep neurological patterns in their brain. These patterns persist a long time after the event that triggered the fear. You then become hyper-sensitive and can develop anticipatory responses to future fearful situations.
I remember reading about someone suffering from PTSD saying “I hate my brain! If I could just shut it off for a while, I might be able to relax again! I’m so damn tired of being afraid!” To me, that statement eloquently summed up their living hell.
The biochemical changes in the brain and the body displayed by PTSD are very different to those of say, clinical depression. Also, people suffering from PTSD show a high secretion of Catecholamines, the fight or flight hormones, and a low secretion of Cortisol, needed to manage stress, in their urine.
Along with the brain functions, these lead to a finding of abnormality in the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis, important in affecting mood.
Post-traumatic stress disorder treatments.
The sooner treatment is sought, the sooner you can take back control of your life. It is really important to make the treatment fit the patient, not the other way around. There are many choices available as treatments, including natural remedies for anxiety.
- Drugs for anti-anxiety
- Drugs for anti-depression
- Psychotherapy groups
- Individual sessions
- EFT
- Subliminal MP3′s
Statistics show that 7-8% of people in the USA could possibly develop Post -Traumatic Stress Disorder in their lifetime. In the case of rape victims and combat veterans, it can be as high as 30%.
We have to offer as much help as possible to anyone suffering from PTSD, not just in the way of drugs, but to make them feel safe again in their daily lives. If you feel you suffer from PTSD, seek help. There is no shame in this. Many famous people throughout time have suffered from anxiety. You can retrain your brains, body and emotions back to a normal response to every day life.
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