I am retraining my brain because I consistently think of people suffering from PTSD, as war veterans. It’s true that 20% of soldiers who have been deployed in the past 6 years have PTSD, but it can occur after any traumatic experience. Examples are situations involving natural disasters, serious accidents, life-threatening illnesses, physical abuse, and sexual assault during child or adulthood. When I looked up information on PTSD, I learned that is falls under — Anxiety Disorder.
The most common anxiety disorders are
- generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
- obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- panic disorder
- post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- social phobia (or social anxiety disorder)
What can also be confusing is that anxiety disorders commonly occur along with other mental or physical illnesses, including alcohol or substance abuse. These behaviors can mask anxiety symptoms or make them worse. In some cases, these other illnesses need to be treated before a person will respond to treatment for the anxiety disorder.
The Anxiety Disorder PTSD can cause many symptoms. These symptoms can be grouped into three categories:
1. Re-experiencing symptoms
- Flashbacks—reliving the trauma over and over, including physical symptoms like a racing heart or sweating
- Bad dreams
- Frightening thoughts.
- Re-experiencing symptoms.
These may cause problems in a person’s everyday routine. They can start from the person’s own thoughts and feelings. Words, objects, or situations that are reminders of the event can also trigger re-experiencing.
2. Avoidance symptoms
- Staying away from places, events, or objects that are reminders of the experience
- Feeling emotionally numb
- Feeling strong guilt, depression, or worry
- Losing interest in activities that were enjoyable in the past
- Having trouble remembering the dangerous event.
Things that remind a person of the traumatic event can trigger avoidance symptoms. These symptoms may cause a person to change his or her personal routine. For example, after a bad car accident, a person who usually drives may avoid driving or riding in a car.
3. Hyper-arousal symptoms
- Being easily startled
- Feeling tense or “on edge”
- Having difficulty sleeping, and/or having angry outbursts.
Hyper-arousal symptoms are usually constant, instead of being triggered by things that remind one of the traumatic event. They can make the person feel stressed and angry. These symptoms may make it hard to do daily tasks, such as sleeping, eating, or concentrating.
It’s natural to have some of these symptoms after a dangerous event. Sometimes people have very serious symptoms that go away after a few weeks. This is called acute stress disorder, or ASD. When the symptoms last more than a few weeks and become an ongoing problem, they might be PTSD. Some people with PTSD don’t show any symptoms for weeks or months.
PTSD affects about 7.7 million American adults, but it can occur at any age, including childhood. Women are more likely to develop PTSD than men, and there is some evidence that susceptibility to the disorder may run in families.
Not everyone with PTSD has been through a dangerous event. Some people get PTSD after a friend or family member experiences danger or is harmed. The sudden, unexpected death of a loved one can also cause PTSD.
A doctor who has experience helping people with mental illnesses, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist, can diagnose PTSD. The diagnosis is made after the doctor talks with the person who has symptoms of PTSD. What is really sad is that only 50% of those with PTSD seek treatment.
The main treatments for people with PTSD are psychotherapy (“talk” therapy), medications, or both. Everyone is different, so a treatment that works for one person may not work for another. It is important for anyone with PTSD to be treated by a mental health care provider who is experienced with PTSD. Some people with PTSD need to try different treatments to find what works for their symptoms.
Great tip: Wear a medical ID if you have been diagnosed with PTSD. You might find yourself in a situation where you are unable to speak for yourself, and you need medical attention. Knowing about your condition, will help the medial staff to customize your treatment.
Another tip: If someone with PTSD is going through an ongoing trauma, such as being in an abusive relationship, both of the problems need to be treated. Other ongoing problems can include panic disorder, depression, substance abuse, and feeling suicidal.
Remember, it is imperative to seek treatment for PTSD as early as possible. Symptoms can become more severe over time and for some people PTSD can last for many years. The family is very important in the recovery of a person with an anxiety disorder. Ideally, the family should be supportive but not help encourage their loved one’s symptoms. Family members should not trivialize the disorder or demand improvement without treatment. It’s a delicate balance.
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