Post traumatic stress disorder - Research Paper Example

The first public alert on the disorder was from the war veterans (Mueser, Rosenberg & Rosenberg, 2009). They spent so much time away from home, and when they came back home, they had persistent flashbacks. The flashbacks caused them to feel threatened wherever they were and could not trust anyone with their lives. Over the years, the disorder has recorded a rise and it has become a socio-cultural problem. The traumatic experiences like terrorist attacks, earthquakes, floods, kidnappings, rape, child abuse, and many others have contributed to more victims suffering from the disorder (Cash, 2006).

Statistics has shown that very soon the disorder may be one of the major public health concerns (Cash, 2006). Changes in the methods of treatment are therefore necessary to curb the growing menace. Over the years, the method used for the treatment of PTDS is only focused on the short-term treatment of the disease (Steele, van der Hart and Nijenhuis, 2001). The formulation has not characterized the significant symptoms seen on the victims who have suffered prolonged mental afflictions. They are mainly attributed to repeated domestic or sexual abuse together with political torture.

A substitute diagnostic formulation “complex PTSD” should replace the method of treatment. This treatment will ensure that multiple symptoms are treated, and it will deal with the long-term effect of the disease on the individual for them to heal completely (Steele, van der Hart and Nijenhuis, 2001). The current PTDS deals only with the treatment of single acute trauma and leaves out the bigger picture caused by multiple sources of trauma (Steele, van der Hart and Nijenhuis, 2001). Judith Herman, a professor of psychology at the Harvard, was the first person to propose this treatment.

Her book “Trauma and Recovery” accurately spells out how the treatment should be carried out using the “complex PTDS”. Most of the clinicians have been of the