Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

We go through numerous painful events during our lives, and some of them could significantly affect us and lead to PTSD, which could last for a long time and cause a lot of effects on the patient’s life.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental condition that occurs after experiencing a trauma or a painful event, or even after witnessing this event without personally experiencing it. This trauma might be a single event or a long-term one, such as car accidents, wars, being bullied, death, physical, verbal, and sexual abuse, and others.

PTSD is a common condition; 5-10% of people have it, and it’s more common in women.

Causes and risk factors leading to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

There isn’t a specific reason for PTSD, but several factors might cause it, such as:

• An event that causes extreme stress.
• A family history of psychological conditions, like depression and anxiety.
• Inherited features in the personality, which means the temperament.
• The way that the mind deals with hormones and chemicals that the body releases during stress,

Some factors that increase the risk of PTSD:

• Traumas during childhood.
• Going through many traumas.
• Being injured because of the trauma.
• A job that causes exposure to painful events, such as military.
• Having other mental conditions.
• Heavy alcohol consumption and drug abuse.
• Not receiving the appropriate support from the surrounding people.

Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

PTSD symptoms can be divided into several groups:

Intrusive memories

• Reliving the trauma’s memories as if it’s happening again.
• Memories of the trauma come back frequently.
• Dreams and nightmares about the painful event.
• Severe reactions against anything that reminds of the trauma.

Avoidance

• Avoiding talking or thinking about the trauma.
• Drifting away from people, places, and anything that reminds of the trauma.

Negative changes in thinking and mood

• Being emotionally numbed.
• Negatively thinking about the self, surrounding people, and the whole world.
• Losing some memory aspects about the traumatic event.
• Feeling detached from surrounding people.
• Persistent negative emotions of guilt, blame, fear, shame, and anger.
• Not being interested in activities that you used to like.
• Difficulty thinking positively.

Changes in emotional and physical reactions

• Always being prepared to face danger.
• Self-destructive behaviors, like heavy alcohol consumption.
• Difficulty concentrating and sleeping.
• Being easily frightened.
• Anger and irritability.
• Physical reactions, such as sweating, rapid heartbeat, and rapid breathing.

Symptoms in 6-year-old and younger children

• Frightening dreams.
• Reenacting the traumatic event.
• Fidgety and restless.

Complications of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

• Mood disturbances.
• Depression and anxiety.
• Heavy alcohol consumption and drug abuse.
• Neurological conditions, such as dementia.
• Suicidal thoughts.

Diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

• Physical examination.
• Psychological evaluation.
• Medical history.

Treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

• Psychological therapy.
• Medications.
• You can prevent PTSD by reaching out for help rapidly if symptoms start manifesting after the traumatic event.