PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

ptsdWhat is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD? This mental health disorder can affect people of all demographics. It may occur as a reaction to a severe physical injury, and can be mental or physical in nature. Individuals who are afflicted by this problem have been exposed to extreme violence or destruction, such as war, sexual assault and severe domestic violence. The particular
origins and reasons for PTSD are not fully known, however, the signs and symptoms of this problem may last anywhere from several weeks to a number of years.

 

 PTSD is identified as acute or chronic. The acute stage of the mental health disorder may last for as many as six weeks following a traumatic event, which might indicate that chronic PTSD is on the horizon. The acute stage is a temporary response from the brain towards the trauma that was experienced. The signs of acute PTSD may include temporary amnesia, psychological disconnect and the inability to see innocence or pleasure in a normal way. Chronic PTSD occurs when signs and symptoms last longer than six weeks, and the person suffering from the condition relives it repeatedly, causing bad dreams, agitation and physical reactions.

PTSD is characterized by panic attacks, and affects over seven-million individuals in the United States every year. PTSD sufferers may avoid situations or conditions that remind them of the trauma. This behavior can affect everyone close to the person with the condition, and can greatly inhibit normal day to day activities. Feelings associated with this problem include grief, sadness, fear, anger and guilt.

Addiction & Substance abuse are a prevalent problem for people who have PTSD, which make the signs and symptoms grow worse as time goes on. Identifying these two conditions requires a dual diagnosis, and the drug or alcohol consumption can make it harder to identify and treat the PTSD effectively. Drug abuse can cause some mental health disorders, which makes it difficult to identify the actual mental illness. Over fifty-percent of individuals seeking substance abuse help have some form of mental health disorder, and a facility that offers expert dual diagnosis treatment will provide the best results.

The strategy to treating PTSD may include Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing, psychotherapy, Rapid Trauma Resolution Therapy, prolonged exposure therapy, family counseling and medicine / drug management. It will take a while for this kind of treatment to work, but they are critical to helping substance abuse and PTSD.

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