Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Post-traumatic stress disorder develops as a response to experiences of trauma, which is a highly frightening, shocking, or dangerous experience. It is normal and expected to feel fear in these situations of great stress or after them; that is the body's natural response, which helps avoid potential danger. Most people recover from their trauma, but when this does not happen, PTSD can develop, which can last for months or years and disrupt everyday life.

PTSD can appear in people of all ages. Factors that contribute to predisposition can be personality traits or a previous history of mental illness; these can lower the tolerance threshold for the development of such a disorder. A traumatic event can happen to the person or something the person witnessed. Traumatic events can be car accidents, war, injury, disease, natural disasters, physical abuse, sexual abuse, the sudden death of someone close…

Symptoms:

The symptoms of this disorder usually appear in a time of 3 months after the traumatic event but can also first appear years later. For it to be adequately diagnosed, the symptoms must be present for at least one month and disrupt the person's everyday life, like at work or in relationships. It is also necessary to make sure that the symptoms aren’t caused by another mental disorder or the use of medicine or psychoactive substances.

The symptoms of PTSD are usually divided into four groups:

• Symptoms of reliving the trauma: “flashbacks” or reliving the trauma, including physical symptoms like increased heart rate and sweating, repeating dreams about the event, intrusive repeating thoughts and memories concerning the event, behavior as if the event is happening again, uncomfortableness when exposed to stimuli that are associated with the event.
• Symptoms of avoidance: avoiding people, places, events, and objects that remind the person of the traumatic event, avoiding thoughts and feelings, and avoiding talking about the event and its effects.
• Symptoms of hypervigilance and reactivity: being jumpy, tense, on edge, always on guard, difficulty with concentration, difficulty with sleep, irritability, bursts of rage, directing too much attention to potential sources of danger.
• Symptoms that affect cognition and mood: difficulty remembering key parts of the traumatic event, a negative self-image, negative perception of the world, increased feelings of guilt, loss of interest in previously liked activities, social isolation, persistent feelings of fear, anger, guilt, or shame.

With time, the symptoms of PTSD can vary in intensity. The intensity can worsen if the person is generally under stress or if something happens to remind them of the traumatic event, like the same time of the year as the event occurs or listening to something about a similar event.

Treatment:

In the treatment of PTSD, it is essential to collaborate with a mental health expert who has experience with this disorder. The main methods of treatment are psychotherapy and medicine and their combination. In some cases, people with post-traumatic stress disorder live in a continued traumatic situation, like with abuse. In this case, treatment is usually most effective when concerned with the traumatic situation and the symptoms. People who have PTSD often have experience with other panic disorders, depression, abuse of psychoactive substances, and suicidal thoughts and actions. Treating these problems and conditions can be a significant help in alleviating PTSD symptoms. The support of close people like family and friends is an essential part of recovering from trauma.

In case you suspect that you or someone close to you might be suffering from this disorder, seek advice from a doctor, psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, or other certified healthcare professional. Working with experts from the field of mental health is a necessity for overcoming and surviving this disorder, which can be very difficult.

Written by: Bachelor of Psychology, Aleksa Holcer.

This text is intended for informational purposes only. If you experience any symptoms, it is recommended that you seek advice from your doctor or a qualified healthcare professional.

ICD-10 version:2019. (n.d.). https://icd.who.int/browse10/2019/en#/F43.1

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. (n.d.). National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd