- September 4, 2019
- Posted by: Amit Rawat
- Category: Psychology
Over 60 percent of people in the world have faced traumatic events once in their life. Among these people, 20 percent of the people develop a condition known as PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
PTSD as the name suggests is the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and it is the category of things that people experience after they face a life threatening event for themselves or they witness it to happen it with someone close to them. Traumatic events also include death of a closed one, sexual assault, horrific accidents, getting robbed or any other terrible event. These traumatic events can cause recurring mental and physical distress.
Signs and symptoms of PTSD
After such incidents, people can experience avoidance in which they tend to avoid situations or people that remind them of that particular traumatic event. People tend to avoid the exact place or similar places where the traumatic incident took place. The person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder becomes hyper vigilant they are extremely guarded which makes them avoid people and situations. They even show hyper arousal behaviour and they can get startled with slightest of triggers in their surroundings.
Another hallmark of PTSD is re-experiencing that traumatic incident. They may re-experience it different ways such as nightmares that are very vivid which makes them feel that they are back in that situation. Also, they can be wide awake and they can have flashbacks. These flashbacks experience can be so real for the patients with PTSD that they may feel that the traumatic incident is happening again. So, the patient can’t differentiate between the incident that happened earlier and the nightmares or flashbacks. Their brain makes the nightmare or the flashback so real that they experience the trauma over and over again.
The patients with PTSD have trouble sleeping and general irritability which can lead to angry outburst.
In young children, the pattern of PTSD is different and they less likely to show distress. Instead, they might use play to express their memories and, sometimes acting out the scenes that are troubling them.
If someone develops PTSD is determined by a number of different factors. For instance – Interpersonal traumas like rape or violent muggings are more likely to convert into PTSD then events like accidents or environmental disasters. In addition, the people who face trauma during their childhood are more likely to suffer from PTSD compared to other trauma faced in their adult life.
Causes of PTSD
Biological factors
People with Dysfunction in Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Axis can develop this Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
People who are deficits in Arousal and Sleep regulating systems in the brain can develop PTSD.
People having problem with Endogenous Opioid system, the part of the brain that helps with pain control can develop PTSD.
PTSD is also linked with family history of mood disorders or anxiety disorders.
Treatment for PTSD
Now, treatment for PTSD can be complicated since the people with this disorder are often reluctant to engage with the trauma in any way in their thoughts, emotions or conversations. This can make treatment really hard even for an expert therapist.
Exposure therapy which slowly exposes individual with PTSD under expert guidance to the exact situation, places and people helps the patient. It can be very effective but it should be done by an expert after required counselling of the individual.
Group therapy is also a popular choice therapy for the people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This is because it provides a safe place for the person to relive their trauma and a supportive environment.
Medications after consulting with the therapist can help. Antidepressants like Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) can help reduce depressive symptoms that often accompany PTSD. They also help to minimize nightmares and flashbacks.
Anti-anxiety can help in decreasing heightened physiological arousal often seen in people with PTSD.
Finally sleep aids can be helpful as lack of sleep makes the symptoms worse for the person with PTSD.
However, it is advised to take these medications only after consulting an expert and going through counselling sessions with the therapist. Self medicating one can make the situation worst. Even if you know someone or your loved one is apparently suffering from PTSD then you can be a support system but you should strictly avoid yourself to treat that person.
Final Words
Apart from facing the trauma over and over again, the most frustrating thing for the people suffering from PTSD is that they do not know what to do. Usually, the people face a traumatic event, they develop PTSD and after much frustration, they search on the internet and get the first help that they get over the internet. However, it is very important to get the right treatment and most importantly, from the right therapist. Also, the people with PTSD try to self medicate which can even prove more harmful for them and they end up developing more anxiety, depression and poor sleep. Hence, treating oneself with medications and other methods can prove detrimental to your mental health.
