Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event, either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.
Most people who go through traumatic events may have temporary difficulty adjusting and coping, but with time and good self-care, they usually get better. If the symptoms get worse, last for months or even years, and interfere with your day-to-day functioning, you may have PTSD.
causes:
Post-traumatic stress disorder can develop after a very stressful, frightening, or distressing event, or after a prolonged traumatic experience.
Types of events that can lead to PTSD include:
- Serious accidents
- Physical or sexual assault
- Abuse, including childhood or domestic abuse
- Exposure to traumatic events at work, including remote exposure
- Serious health problems, such as being admitted to intensive care
- Childbirth experiences, such as losing a baby
- War and conflict
- Torture
- PTSD develops in people who experience trauma
Symptoms:
Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms may start within days or months after a traumatic event, but sometimes systems may not appear until years after the event. These symptoms cause significant problems in social or work situations and in relationships.
PTSD symptoms are generally grouped into four types:
1- Intrusive memories:
- Recurrent, unwanted distressing memories of the traumatic event.
- Reliving the traumatic event as if were happening again
- Upsetting dreams or nightmares about the traumatic event
- Severe emotional distress or physical reactions to something that reminds you of the traumatic event.
2- Avoidance:
- Trying to avoid thinking or talking about the traumatic event
- Avoiding places, activities, or people that remind you of the traumatic event.
3- Negative changes in thinking and mood:
- Negative thoughts about yourself, other people, or the world
- Hopelessness about the future
- Memory problems, including not remembering important aspects of the traumatic event
- Difficulty maintaining close relationships
- Feeling detached from family and friends (forsaken)
- Lack of interest in activities you once enjoyed
- Difficulty experiencing positive emotions
- Feeling emotionally numb.
4- Changes in physical and emotional reactions:
- Being easily startled or frightened
- Always being on guard for danger
- Self-destructive behavior, such as drinking too much or driving too fast
- Trouble sleeping
- Trouble concentrating
- Irritability, angry outbursts, or aggressive behavior
- Overwhelming guilt and shame
Intensity of symptoms:
PTSD symptoms can vary in intensity over time. You may have PTSD symptoms when you're stressed in general, or when you come across reminders of what you went through.
Risk factors:
people of all ages can have post-traumatic stress disorder. However, some factors may make you more likely to develop PTSD after a traumatic event, such as:
- Experiencing intense or long-lasting trauma
- Having experienced other trauma earlier in life, such as childhood abuse
- Having a job that increases your risk of being exposed to traumatic events, such as military personnel and first responders.
- Having other mental health problems, such as anxiety or depression
- Having problems with substance misuses, such as excess drinking or drug use
- Lacking a good support system of family and friends
- Having blood relatives with mental health problems, including anxiety or depression
Kinds of traumatic events:
Common events leading to the development of PTSD include:
- Combat exposure
- childhood physical abuse
- Sexual violence
- Physical assault
- Being threatened with a weapon
- An accident
Many other traumatic events also can lead to PTSD, such as fire, natural disaster, mugging, robbery, plane crash, torture, kidnapping, life-threatening medical diagnosis, and other extreme or life-threatening events.
Complications:
Post-traumatic stress disorder can disrupt your whole life- your job, relationships, health, and enjoyment of everyday activities.
Having PTSD may also increase your risk of other mental health problems, Such as:
- Depression and anxiety
- Issues with drugs or alcohol use
- Eating disorder
- Suicidal thoughts and actions
Prevention:
After surviving a traumatic event, many people have PTSD- like symptoms at first, such as being unable to stop thinking about what's happened, Fear, anxiety, anger, depression, guilt, all over common reactions to trauma. However, the majority of people exposed to trauma do not develop long-term post-traumatic stress disorder.
Getting timely help and support may prevent normal stress reactions from getting worse and developing into PTSD. This may mean turning to family and friends who will listen and offer comfort. It may mean seeking out a mental health professional for a brief course of therapy. Some people may also find it helpful to turn to their faith community.
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