POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that may develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic, violent, or life-threatening event. Traumatic events may be natural or human caused. Natural events may include earthquakes, hurricanes, or medical illnesses; human-caused events may include military combat, child sexual or physical abuse, rape, torture, domestic battering, or physical assault. Some of these traumatic events may occur at one point in time or may be ongoing, with repeated exposure to the trauma. PTSD often goes undiagnosed for a variety of reasons, particularly if the traumatic events are not readily apparent or occurred in the past. If untreated, PTSD may lead to other social issues such as alcohol and drug abuse, suicide and violence directed at loved ones or others, which in turn may affect an individual's family situation, diminish job or school performance, and increase social isolation (Littleton, 2010).

Demographics of Effected Victims

Can occur at any age in both sexes and psychologically healthy and well adjusted. Has a cumulative effect. That is, the greater the number of traumas experienced, the more likely it is to develop PTSD. Among the situations most likely to lead to PTSD, include rape, sexual abuse, war, natural disasters, attacks, terrorist attacks, physical abuse, etc. This may be an event that this person has personally experienced or something that has witnessed or have told, read or seen on television. The severity of symptoms can vary depending on many factors, including severity of trauma, the way it was perceived by the individual, personal capacity to cope with stress and type of support and assistance received from family, friends, professionals, etc.

About 30% of people are exposed throughout life to a traumatic event. Of these, between 10 and 20 percent develop the condition. Men experience more traumatic events than women do, but women are more likely to have experiences that they have a higher probability of causing this disorder in both sexes, as is rape, which leads to PTSD in 50% of women and 65% of men (Tolin & Foa, 2006).

Types of traumatic events more prevalent

Among the most common women is rape and sexual harassment.

Among men are most prevalent threat with a weapon, witnessing an assault or murder and a serious accident.

In both sexes equally: unexpected death of a loved one traffic accident risk to life, witnessing an assault or murder, assault with violence, threats with a weapon and natural disaster.

Main symptoms

The first set of symptoms of PTSD is related to what the person relives the traumatic event. In terms of emotions such as the distress felt comeback. At the memory: there are episodes of flash, sometimes very powerful, which bring the person as if she was there. This can lead to situations of separation from reality. Regularly seen nightmares or overreactions to situations similar.

A second set of symptoms is related to the avoidance of a range of situations, emotions or ...