Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; GA 5.19
Topic Started: Mar 25 2009, 08:20 PM (65 Views)
Gracie	Mar 25 2009, 08:20 PM Post #1
Posts: 878 Group: Moderators Member #17 Joined: August 3, 2008	What is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)? Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can occur after you have been through a traumatic event. A traumatic event is something horrible and scary that you see or that happens to you. During this type of event, you think that your life or others' lives are in danger. You may feel afraid or feel that you have no control over what is happening. Anyone who has gone through a life-threatening event can develop PTSD. These events can include: * Combat or military exposure * Child sexual or physical abuse * Terrorist attacks * Sexual or physical assault * Serious accidents, such as a car wreck. * Natural disasters, such as a fire, tornado, hurricane, flood, or earthquake. After the event, you may feel scared, confused, or angry. If these feelings don't go away or they get worse, you may have PTSD. These symptoms may disrupt your life, making it hard to continue with your daily activities. How does PTSD develop? All people with PTSD have lived through a traumatic event that caused them to fear for their lives, see horrible things, and feel helpless. Strong emotions caused by the event create changes in the brain that may result in PTSD. Most people who go through a traumatic event have some symptoms at the beginning. Yet only some will develop PTSD. It isn't clear why some people develop PTSD and others don't. How likely you are to get PTSD depends on many things. These include: * How intense the trauma was or how long it lasted * If you lost someone you were close to or were hurt * How close you were to the event * How strong your reaction was * How much you felt in control of events * How much help and support you got after the event Many people who develop PTSD get better at some time. But about 1 out of 3 people with PTSD may continue to have some symptoms. Even if you continue to have symptoms, treatment can help you cope. Your symptoms don't have to interfere with your everyday activities, work, and relationships. What are the symptoms of PTSD? Symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be terrifying. They may disrupt your life and make it hard to continue with your daily activities. It may be hard just to get through the day. PTSD symptoms usually start soon after the traumatic event, but they may not happen until months or years later. They also may come and go over many years. If the symptoms last longer than 4 weeks, cause you great distress, or interfere with your work or home life, you probably have PTSD. There are four types of symptoms: reliving the event, avoidance, numbing, and feeling keyed up. Reliving the event (also called re-experiencing symptoms): Bad memories of the traumatic event can come back at any time. You may feel the same fear and horror you did when the event took place. You may have nightmares. You even may feel like you're going through the event again. This is called a flashback. Sometimes there is a trigger: a sound or sight that causes you to relive the event. Triggers might include: * Hearing a car backfire, which can bring back memories of gunfire and war for a combat veteran * Seeing a car accident, which can remind a crash survivor of his or her own accident * Seeing a news report of a sexual assault, which may bring back memories of assault for a woman who was raped Avoiding situations that remind you of the event: You may try to avoid situations or people that trigger memories of the traumatic event. You may even avoid talking or thinking about the event. * A person who was in an earthquake may avoid watching television shows or movies in which there are earthquakes * A person who was robbed at gunpoint while ordering at a hamburger drive-in may avoid fast-food restaurants * Some people may keep very busy or avoid seeking help. This keeps them from having to think or talk about the event. Feeling numb: You may find it hard to express your feelings. This is another way to avoid memories. * You may not have positive or loving feelings toward other people and may stay away from relationships * You may not be interested in activities you used to enjoy * You may forget about parts of the traumatic event or not be able to talk about them. Feeling keyed up (also called hyperarousal): You may be jittery, or always alert and on the lookout for danger. This is known as hyperarousal. It can cause you to: * Suddenly become angry or irritable * Have a hard time sleeping * Have trouble concentrating * Fear for your safety and always feel on guard * Be very startled when someone surprises you What are other common problems? People with PTSD may also have other problems. These include: * Drinking or drug problems * Feelings of hopelessness, shame, or despair * Employment problems * Relationships problems including divorce and violence * Physical symptoms Can children have PTSD? Children can have PTSD too. They may have the symptoms described above or other symptoms depending on how old they are. As children get older their symptoms are more like those of adults. * Young children may become upset if their parents are not close by, have trouble sleeping, or suddenly have trouble with toilet training or going to the bathroom * Children who are in the first few years of elementary school (ages 6 to 9) may act out the trauma through play, drawings, or stories. They may complain of physical problems or become more irritable or aggressive. They also may develop fears and anxiety that don't seem to be caused by the traumatic event. What treatments are available? When you have PTSD, dealing with the past can be hard. Instead of telling others how you feel, you may keep your feelings bottled up. But treatment can help you get better. There are good treatments available for PTSD. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is one type of counseling. It appears to be the most effective type of counseling for PTSD. There are different types of cognitive behavioral therapies such as cognitive therapy and exposure therapy. A similar kind of therapy called EMDR, or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, is also used for PTSD. Medications can be effective too. A type of drug known as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), which is also used for depression, is effective for PTSD. Source:National Center for PTSD
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McDreaming	Mar 26 2009, 02:53 AM Post #2
Posts: 23,105 Group: Moderators Member #14 Joined: August 2, 2008 Favorite Character Of course... Der Favorite Couple Mer/Der = Extraordinary Together!!!!	WoW... Thanks Caroleen... very interesting...
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McDreaming	Sep 28 2009, 09:42 PM Post #3
Posts: 23,105 Group: Moderators Member #14 Joined: August 2, 2008 Favorite Character Of course... Der Favorite Couple Mer/Der = Extraordinary Together!!!!	http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michelle-renee/emgreys-anatomyem-sheds-l_b_300961.html Posted: September 28, 2009 03:40 PM Grey's Anatomy Sheds Light on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder The reminder on my TV had been set for a week. My daughter and I were settling in for our favorite show premiering on Thursday night and ready for two hours of Grey's Anatomy drama. Last season they introduced us to a new character, Owen -- a doctor suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) due to his stint in the military during war time. His girlfriend, Christina, was the unsuspecting victim of a horrific nightmare he was having related to his trauma. However, he was never able to talk to her about his symptoms of PTSD nor was he able to discuss the trauma itself. This storyline was of particular interest to me due to my own, and my daughter's, acute PTSD diagnosis after surviving a devastating home invasion kidnapping, hostage, and bank robbery ordeal. I was so in tune with what this character was going through and could literally feel his pain in some of the scenes. Why? Because I know just how real PTSD is. But I also know it is possible to heal and move forward. When I watched the big premiere, riveted by Izzy's gutsy "get a life" chat with the woman on the bench, I was also wonderfully surprised by the direction Owen's character was taking and the inclusion of a female therapist and Christina joining them. "His Post-Traumatic Stress is fed by his avoidance of talking about it," the therapist said. (I can relate.) "If he is going to heal he MUST learn to talk about his trauma to you and to me (referring to Christina). Does he talk about his trauma? Does he talk about the incident?" One of the 10 keys to healing from post-trauma that I discuss in my presentations is giving yourself permission to talk about your trauma and letting go of any shame related to your symptoms. When we talk to our friends and family members about what we are going through emotionally after violence, abuse, or trauma, we are educating them. It may be the only time they ever hear about what the symptoms actually are and what they can do to support you. They may not understand if they have never experienced it, but education and awareness is a great place to start. I was also impressed that the show put the girlfriend in the therapist office with the client. Involving friends and family is a critical piece of the positive recovery puzzle. More treatment centers need to incorporate family and friends into the treatment process, even if it is a once a month orientation. I know what many of the treatments sites will say ... budget issues. I say baby steps now combined with leaps of faith is a great way to begin. The plot came full circle when near the end of the show Owen not only shared his nightmare with Christina, but also went in to help a patient who had lost a limb and lost her will to live. He said, "I have been THERE. I know what it is like to want to die and as impossible as it was, I'm back. You have to do the work." When someone like me can speak from a place of "I've been there," I know how powerful it can be and how it will inspire positive change in someone else. I want to applaud Grey's Anatomy and share a message with others who have survived violence, abuse, and trauma: Do the work. As impossible as it may seem, talk about your symptoms without shame and give those around you the opportunity to support you. The simple truth is ... there really is light at the end of the dark and frightening PTSD tunnel. Michelle Renee speaks to universities and mental health professional/organizations on the topic PTSD is REAL and Hostage No More: 10 Keys to Breaking Free from Emotional Pain and Trauma. www.michelle-renee.com Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michelle-renee/emgreys-anatomyem-sheds-l_b_300961.html
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