(Post-traumatic stress disorder) PTSD
OVERVIEW
A condition where a person witnesses a highly traumatic event. This might involve incidents
such as physical assault or other life-threatening situations. The emotional and mental state
of an individual can be affected by such events. PTSD can impact all ages.
People having ptsd experience intense and involuntary thoughts and emotions which
somehow connected to that specific traumatic event that happened in their life. PTSD involves
responses like
● Feeling of anxiety, guilt, or shame.
● Having recurring flashbacks or nightmares which affect the person badly.
● Avoid situations, places, and activities connected with that specific
event.
Definition of traumatic event
It can be said to be an experience that causes major emotional distress which leads to
lasting psychological effects in personal life. Common examples that show PTSD include:
Earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, car crashes, industrial accidents, assault, domestic
violence, shootings, death of a loved one, loss of a home.
It is observed that everyone has different mechanisms to react differently to trauma; it is
believed that what might be traumatic for one person may not be the same for another.
Symptoms of PTSD
Symptoms of PTSD can fall into four different categories:
● Intrusion: Persistent, involuntary recollections, disturbing dreams, realistic flashbacks
of the traumatic experience.
● Avoidance: Avoiding remembering, or talking about the traumatic event, like people,
places, activities, things, and situations or what happened or how it feels.
● Changes in mood and thinking: Feeling disconnected from others as well as no
longer enjoying activities you once did.Continued feelings of fear, horror, anger, guilt.
● Changes in reactivity and arousal: Difficulty in concentrating or sleeping.Frequent
irritability and outbursts of anger.
Factors that might help to reduce the chances of developing PTSD are as follows:
- Getting support through talking to friends, family, and support groups.
- Accepting your feelings of being okay with how you react to the traumatic event.
- Coping strategies to get through and learn from the experience and prepare yourself.
- Knowing yourself so that a person can know how to handle upsetting events,
especially when you feel scared.
Famous People With PTSD
● Lady Gaga: At the age of 19, Lady Gaga experienced a sexual assault incident that
affected her deeply, resulting in multiple hospitalizations.
● Ariana Grande: Ariana Grande faced unimaginable horror when a suicide bomber
attacked her concert in Manchester, UK. This tragedy’s revealing brain scans and
the tangible impact of PTSD had on her brain.
Treatment for PTSD
Therapy:
● Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: It helps to change negative thought patterns and
behaviors developed through trauma.
● Exposure Therapy: It involves gradual exposure to memories of the trauma in order
to reduce fear in a person’s mind.
● Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: Using guided eye movements to
help and process the integrated traumatic memories.
Medication:
● Antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) might help
to manage symptoms.
● Anti-anxiety medications may be used in some cases for short-term relief.
● Connecting with other people who have experienced similar trauma can help in
providing comfort and understanding.
● Regular exercise can help reduce stress and improve mood.
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