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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Has the Past Come Back to Haunt You?

Post traumatic stress syndrome or post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is defined as a delayed reaction to an exceptionally stressful situation or a life threatening event. This disorder has gained significant attention during the past few years. This article informs you more on:
  • Will serious accidents results in post traumatic stress disorder?
  • What are the behavioral changes caused as a result of post traumatic stress disorder?
  • Can substance abuse be treated as a long term effect of post traumatic stress disorder?
Post traumatic stress syndrome or post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is defined as a delayed reaction to an exceptionally stressful situation or a life threatening event. The delay can be as long as 6 months or even more. This disorder has gained significant attention during the past few years as more and more researches have commented on the short and long term effects of post traumatic stress disorder.

Causes of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post traumatic stress disorder follows an exceptionally stressful or a catastrophic life event after a dormant period. The causative event usually is so severe that any normal person who experiences it gets affected. The stressful events could be any of the following.
  • Natural Calamity - e.g. Post -Tsunami, Post- Katrina, Post - Rita
  • War - e.g. Post - Vietnam war, Post- Gulf war
  • Rape
  • Terror - e.g. 9/11, London Bomb Blasts
  • Serious Accidents like train accidents and building collapse following earth quake
  • Traumatic death of beloved ones - e.g. Life partner, Parents, Children
The persons who survive the calamities or who witness those events get affected and start manifesting the syndrome after a couple of months. The susceptibility and severity of affliction depends on the following criteria.
  • The affected person should perceive the event as a dangerous one.
  • The affected person should feel helpless in response to the event.
  • The affected person should have high levels of anxiety trait.
Whenever a person perceives an event as a dangerous one, the normal response would be Fight or flight. But when the stress of the event is very severe or the situation is such a one that could not be overcome or avoided it results in post traumatic stress disorder. If the person has a high anxiety trait, the manifestation will be earlier and more severe.

About 1% of adults suffer post traumatic stress disorder. Similar statistics are not available for children and adolescents.

Effects of PTSD

Many psychopathological conditions affecting adults and adolescents which were initially thought to be results of internal conflicts are now found to be due to a past stressful trauma. More researches are being done in this field.

The manifestations of the disorder are seen after a couple of months. The impact of the event is so much that the person who is affected, tries to avoid any stimuli reminding him of that past stressful event. In spite of it, if the person experiences the stimuli, the manifestations become more severe, with more anxiety and more arousal.

An affected person gets repeated recollection of the stressful event as Flashbacks or dreams. The person re-experiences the original trauma and gets affected both physiologically and psychologically and tries to avoid such stimuli. Repeated Re-experiences cause a behavioral change in the person. The changes could be
  • Psychological numbing
  • Amnesia of certain aspects of the stressful event
  • Inability to experience pleasure
  • Isolation
  • Reduced interest in activities
  • Sleeplessness
  • Agitation
Short Term Effects of PTSD
These effects are seen when the person re-experiences the past trauma as Flash backs or dreams. The short term effects of stress in PTSD are mostly physical effects.
  • Head aches
  • Stomach upset
  • Chest pain
  • Breathing difficulties
  • Giddiness
Long Term Effects
These effects are seen for a longer period of time no matter whether the affected person re- experiences his past trauma or not. The long term effects of PTSD are
  • Memory disturbances
  • Alteration in the response to fear
  • Depression
  • Sleeplessness
  • Anxiety disorders like phobias
  • Poor self esteem
  • Substance abuse
  • Anti social behavior
Continue to: Terr's Long term Symptom Complexes

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