What Is Ptsd And What Are The Symptoms

What Can I Do To Help Myself

It is important to know that, although it may take some time, you can get better with treatment. Here are some things you can do to help yourself:

• Talk with your health care provider about treatment options, and follow your treatment plan.
• Engage in exercise, mindfulness, or other activities that help reduce stress.
• Try to maintain routines for meals, exercise, and sleep.
• Set realistic goals and do what you can as you are able.
• Spend time with trusted friends or relatives, and tell them about things that may trigger symptoms.
• Expect your symptoms to improve gradually, not immediately.
• Avoid use of alcohol or drugs.

What Is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Posttraumatic stress disorder is a psychiatric disorder that may occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, a terrorist act, war/combat, or rape or who have been threatened with death, sexual violence or serious injury.

PTSD has been known by many names in the past, such as shell shock during the years of World War I and combat fatigue after World War II, but PTSD does not just happen to combat veterans. PTSD can occur in all people, of any ethnicity, nationality or culture, and at any age. PTSD affects approximately 3.5 percent of U.S. adults every year, and an estimated one in 11 people will be diagnosed with PTSD in their lifetime. Women are twice as likely as men to have PTSD. Three ethnic groups U.S. Latinos, African Americans, and American Indians are disproportionately affected and have higher rates of PTSD than non-Latino whites.

People with PTSD have intense, disturbing thoughts and feelings related to their experience that last long after the traumatic event has ended. They may relive the event through flashbacks or nightmares they may feel sadness, fear or anger and they may feel detached or estranged from other people. People with PTSD may avoid situations or people that remind them of the traumatic event, and they may have strong negative reactions to something as ordinary as a loud noise or an accidental touch.

Key Points About Posttraumatic Stress Disorder In Children

• PTSD is a mental health problem. A child with PTSD has constant, scary thoughts and memories of a past event.

• A traumatic event, such as a car crash, natural disaster, or physical abuse, can cause PTSD.

• Children with PTSD may relive the trauma over and over again. They may have nightmares or flashbacks.

• PTSD is diagnosed only if symptoms keep occurring for more than 1 month and are negatively affecting the childs life.

• A child with PTSD may need therapy and medicine. They are at higher risk for other mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts

You May Like: Is Cervical Spinal Stenosis Considered A Disability

Religious And Other Cultural Contexts

Dreams figure prominently in major world religions. The dream experience for early humans, according to one interpretation, gave rise to the notion of a human “,” a central element in much religious thought. wrote:

But there can be no reasonable doubt that the idea of a soul must have first arisen in the mind of primitive man as a result of observation of his dreams. Ignorant as he was, he could have come to no other conclusion but that, in dreams, he left his sleeping body in one universe and went wandering off into another. It is considered that, but for that savage, the idea of such a thing as a ‘soul’ would never have even occurred to mankind….

When To Seek Medical Advice

It’s normal to experience upsetting and confusing thoughts after a traumatic event, but in most people these improve naturally over a few weeks.

You should visit your GP if you or your child are still having problems about 4 weeks after the traumatic experience, or the symptoms are particularly troublesome.

Your GP will want to discuss your symptoms with you in as much detail as possible.

They’ll ask whether you have experienced a traumatic event in the recent or distant past and whether you have re-experienced the event through flashbacks or nightmares.

Your GP can refer you to mental health specialists if they feel you’d benefit from treatment.

Don’t Miss: Can You Get Fired For Having A Disability

Get Help Finding Treatment

Here are tools to find a healthcare provider familiar with treatment options:

• Psychologist Locatorexternal icon, a service of the American Psychological Association Practice Organization.
• Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finderexternal icon, a research tool by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry .
• Find a Cognitive Behavioral Therapistexternal icon, a search tool by the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies.
• If you need help finding treatment facilities, visit MentalHealth.govexternal icon.

Why Do Some People Develop Ptsd And Other People Do Not

Not everyone who lives through a dangerous event develops PTSDmany factors play a part. Some of these factors are present before the trauma others become important during and after a traumatic event.

Risk factors that may increase the likelihood of developing of PTSD include:

• Exposure to dangerous events or traumas
• Getting hurt or seeing people hurt or killed
• Childhood trauma
• Feeling horror, helplessness, or extreme fear
• Having little or no social support after the event
• Dealing with extra stress after the event, such as loss of a loved one, pain and injury, or loss of a job or home
• Having a personal history or family history of mental illness or substance use

Resilience factors that may reduce the likelihood of developing PTSD include:

• Seeking out support from friends, family, or support groups
• Learning to feel okay with ones actions in response to a traumatic event
• Having a coping strategy for getting through and learning from a traumatic event
• Being prepared and able to respond to upsetting events as they occur, despite feeling fear

Read Also: Social Security Office In Birmingham Alabama

Where Can I Find Support

Having an under-recognized condition like CPTSD can be isolating. If you feel like you need some extra support, the National Center for PTSD has several resources, including a PTSD coaching app for your phone. While many of these resources are geared toward people with PTSD, you may still find them helpful for many of your symptoms.

The nonprofit organization Out of the Storm also has many online resources, including a forum, information sheets, and book recommendations, specifically for CPTSD.

Ptsd Treatment And Therapy

Treatment for PTSD can relieve symptoms by helping you deal with the trauma youve experienced. A doctor or therapist will encourage you to recall and process the emotions you felt during the original event in order to reduce the powerful hold the memory has on your life.

During treatment, youll also explore your thoughts and feelings about the trauma, work through feelings of guilt and mistrust, learn how to cope with intrusive memories, and address the problems PTSD has caused in your life and relationships.

The types of treatment available for PTSD include:

Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy involves gradually exposing yourself to feelings and situations that remind you of the trauma, and replacing distorted and irrational thoughts about the experience with a more balanced picture.

Family therapy can help your loved ones understand what youre going through and help you work through relationship problems together as a family.

Medication is sometimes prescribed to people with PTSD to relieve secondary symptoms of depression or anxiety, although they do not treat the causes of PTSD.

EMDR incorporates elements of cognitive-behavioral therapy with eye movements or other forms of rhythmic, left-right stimulation, such as hand taps or sounds. EMDR therapy techniques work by unfreezing the brains information processing system, which is interrupted in times of extreme stress.

Also Check: Social Security Offices In New Jersey

Impact On Marginalized Communities

The number and type of ACEs a person experiences can depend on the persons culture, race, ethnicity, religion, and other identifying factors. Social inequities in the U.S. mean that people from historically marginalized groups can experience more ACEs.

Research shows that 61% of Black non-Hispanic children and 51% of Hispanic children in the U.S. have experienced at least one ACE, compared with 40% of white non-Hispanic children and 23% of Asian non-Hispanic children.

In most regions of the U.S., the prevalence of ACEs is highest among Black non-Hispanic children. Overall, the lifetime prevalence rate of PTSD among Black people is than that of other groups.

Social inequities and inconsistent access to health insurance and treatment also mean that people from marginalized groups

ICD-11 states that a clinician must determine that a person meets all the criteria for traditional PTSD before diagnosing complex PTSD.

In addition, the person must show problems with self-regulation, low self-esteem, a sense of shame or guilt related to past trauma, and problems maintaining relationships with others.

Before the WHO updated its diagnostic criteria to include complex PTSD, clinicians may have chosen to diagnose a person with an enduring personality change after a catastrophic experience or with disorders of extreme stress not otherwise specified. The intention is for the new diagnosis of complex PTSD to replace these old diagnoses.

Options for treatment include:

When Should I Get Help

The guidance from the NHS states Its normal to experience upsetting and confusing thoughts after a traumatic event, but in most people these improve naturally over a few weeks.

You should visit your GP if you or your child are still having problems about 4 weeks after the traumatic experience, or the symptoms are particularly troublesome.

Your GP will want to discuss your symptoms with you in as much detail as possible.

Your GP can refer you to mental health specialists if they feel youd benefit from treatment.

If youre able to, let them know you have experienced a traumatic event in the recent or distant past and tell them about the symptoms youve been having since it may help to print out this page, and highlight or tick any of the symptoms youve been experiencing, to help you remember.

Also Check: How To Get Va Disability Rating

What Causes Ptsd In A Child

A traumatic event that triggers PTSD may be:

• Something that happened to the child

• Something that happened to someone close to the child

• Something the child saw

A child or teen may suffer from PTSD after one of these traumatic events:

• Bad accidents, such as car or train wrecks

• Invasive medical procedures, especially for children younger than age 6

• Natural disasters, such as floods or earthquakes

• Manmade tragedies, such as bombings

• Violent personal attacks, such as a mugging, rape, torture, or kidnapping

Outlook For People With Ptsd

If you have PTSD or suspect you have PTSD, seeking help from a professional can help.

If left untreated, PTSD can affect your relationships and impact daily life. It can make it difficult to work, study, eat, or sleep. It may also lead to suicidal thoughts.

Fortunately, its possible to find effective treatments that reduce or even stop many of the symptoms of PTSD.

Every person has different needs and needs a unique treatment plan. What works for one person might not work for another. Ideally, your healthcare provider will help you find effective coping tools and therapies to manage your PTSD symptoms.

Read Also: Is Having A Colostomy Bag A Disability

Myth: It Will Get Better With Time

While people often say that pain lessens with time, this isn’t always the case. Some of the symptoms of PTSD, such as anxiety and avoidance, can actually grow worse over time. This is why getting an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment are so important. Symptoms of PTSD can be debilitating and take a serious toll on a person’s well-being.

What Is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder In Children

Posttraumatic stress disorder is a mental health problem. It can affect people of all ages. A child with PTSD keeps having scary thoughts and memories of a past event. He or she finds the event terrifying, either physically or emotionally.

The symptoms of PTSD may start soon after a stressful event. Or they may not happen for 6 months or longer. Some children with PTSD have long-term effects. They may feel emotionally numb for a very long time. PTSD in children often becomes a long-term problem.

PTSD may be accompanied by:

Read Also: How To Apply For Social Security Disability Benefits

How Ptsd Is Treated

PTSD can be successfully treated, even when it develops many years after a traumatic event.

Any treatment depends on the severity of symptoms and how soon they occur after the traumatic event. Any of the following treatment options may be recommended:

• Watchful waiting monitoring your symptoms to see whether they improve or get worse without treatment.
• Psychotherapy such as trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy or eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing .
• Antidepressants such as paroxetine or mirtazapine.

Read more about treating PTSD.

What Are The Treatments For Post

The main treatments for PTSD are talk therapy, medicines, or both. PTSD affects people differently, so a treatment that works for one person may not work for another. If you have PTSD, you need to work with a mental health professional to find the best treatment for your symptoms.:

• Talk therapy, or psychotherapy, which can teach you about your symptoms. You will learn how to identify what triggers them and how to manage them. There are different types of talk therapy for PTSD.
• Medicines can help with the symptoms of PTSD. Antidepressants may help control symptoms such as sadness, worry, anger, and feeling numb inside. Other medicines can help with sleep problems and nightmares.

Recommended Reading: Can You Claim Someone On Disability As A Dependent

Next Steps For Ptsd Research

In the last decade, progress in research on the mental and biological foundations of PTSD has lead scientists to focus on better understanding the underlying causes of why people experience a range of reactions to trauma.

• NIMH-funded researchers are exploring trauma patients in acute care settings to better understand the changes that occur in individuals whose symptoms improve naturally.
• Other research is looking at how fear memories are affected by learning, changes in the body, or even sleep.
• Research on preventing the development of PTSD soon after trauma exposure is also under way.
• Other research is attempting to identify what factors determine whether someone with PTSD will respond well to one type of intervention or another, aiming to develop more personalized, effective, and efficient treatments.
• As gene research and brain imaging technologies continue to improve, scientists are more likely to be able to pinpoint when and where in the brain PTSD begins. This understanding may then lead to better targeted treatments to suit each persons own needs or even prevent the disorder before it causes harm.

What Is Ptsd And What Are The Symptoms

Historically associated with war, after which soldiers have been known to suffer great mental health issues including depression and anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder has been around for thousands of years.

The condition has been known under many different names, from shell shock during WWI to war neurosis during WWII, and combat stress reaction during the Vietnam War.

It was in the 1980s that the term post-traumatic stress disorder was introduced the term we most commonly use today.

But contrary to stereotypes, there are in fact a number of reasons people are diagnosed in fact, any traumatic event can trigger it.

People who are involved in, or witness, traumatic events are likely to experience short-term distress which resolves without the need for professional intervention.

However, one in three people who experience trauma do go on to develop PTSD a severe condition which can cause flashbacks, angry outburst and insomnia.

To find out more about the condition and what to do if youre affected by it, continue reading below.

Read Also: When Was The Disability Discrimination Act First Introduced

Treatment Of Ptsd Symptoms

The treatment of PTSD symptoms can be difficult, but it is possible. There are many different types of therapy that can help people cope with the disorder. Some people also find it helpful to join a support group where they can talk to other people who have gone through similar experiences.

Some other treatment options are:

How Is Ptsd Treated In A Child

Treatment will depend on your childs symptoms, age, and general health. It will also depend on how severe the condition is.

PTSD can be treated. Early diagnosis and treatment is very important. It can ease symptoms and enhance your childs normal development. It can also improve your childs quality of life.

Treatment may include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy. A child learns skills to handle his or her anxiety and to master the situation that led to the PTSD.

• Medicines for depression or anxiety. These may help some children feel calmer.

Recovery from PTSD varies. Some children recover within 6 months. Others have symptoms that last much longer. Recovery depends on the childs inner strengths, coping skills, and ability to bounce back. It is also affected by the level of family support. Parents play a vital role in treatment.

Don’t Miss: Assisted Living For Seniors On Social Security

Which Celebrities Have Experienced Ptsd

A number of famous faces have spoken openly about being diagnosed with PTSD, including TV and radio presenter Matthew Wright.

The 53-year-old said that he was diagnosed with the condition after quitting his long-running Channel 5 show The Wright Stuff. His symptoms included waking up in the middle of the nights and feeling jet-lagged in the day.

Actor Keira Knightley revealed that she was diagnosed with PTSD when she was 22-years-old after being chased by paparazzi, while singer Ariana Grande said she experienced the condition following the attack at the Manchester arena in 2017.

Speaking to British Vogue, Grande said: Its hard to talk about because so many people have suffered such severe, tremendous loss. But yeah, its a real thing.

I know those families and my fans, and everyone there experienced a tremendous amount of it as well. Time is the biggest thing.

I dont think Ill ever know how to talk about it and not cry.

If you are struggling with your mental health and would like to speak to someone about how you’re feeling, you can contact the Samaritans by calling them for free on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or visit www.samaritans.org to find details of your nearest branch.

From news to politics, travel to sport, culture to climate The Independent has a host of free newsletters to suit your interests. To find the stories you want to read, and more, in your inbox, click here.