Causes and Symptoms of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder - Research Paper Example

? Post Traumatic Stress Disorder 24th April Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Post-Traumatic stress is a disorder that a person gets after going through a dangerous situation. Rainbird (Jan 2009) contends that the causes of PTSD are multifactorial, including both situational and personal factors. When a person find himself or herself in danger, the triggers the body to try and defend the whole body against the danger. When this health reaction that intends to protect the body from harm is damaged, the person may still feel frightened even when the danger is over. Post traumatic disorder is usually prevalent among soldiers who are in service, but anyone can get it at any age. It is more prevalent to people who have survived accidents, abuse, physical and even sexual abuse, or any other dangerous situation that a person may experience. Post-traumatic stress disorder does not affect people who go through dangerous event but also a person, say a friend or family, who sees another going through dangerous event or is harmed. It can also be caused by a sudden death of a person, especially a loved one. Causes and Symptoms of Post-traumatic stress disorder Corales (2005, p. 110) states that the posttraumatic stress disorder symptom scales contain 17 items that diagnosed Posttraumatic stress disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Orders-III-Revised criteria. Any trauma or an event that is threatening to the life of a person causes post-traumatic stress disorder. This may include both physical and emotional risk factors that may cause fear at intense levels. The term risk factor is used because it is virtually impossible to scientifically to isolate the exact cause of any phenomenon Ford (2009, p. 60). According to Lahad and Doron (p 6), the more intensive and difficult the experience is, the greater the potential for having for having a more severe post trauma reaction. There are various issues that may put a person at a higher risk of developing post traumatic stress disorder. Some of these include having an increased duration of an event that is traumatic, enduring high numbers of traumatic events, having a high number of both physical and emotional risk experienced, if, or whether the person has had another emotional trauma before the event has occurred, there is little or no support emotionally from family or friends. Apart from these, people such as children, adolescents, majority of females, and people who have learning disabilities or experience violence at home frequently have a greater risk of going through post-traumatic stress disorder. There are various symptoms and signs of PTSD that are a criteria required for the assigning of the diagnosis of the disorder. Recurrent re-experiencing of an event, for instance, troublesome memories, individual having flashbacks, which may be, caused by reminders of the said event and even nightmares that may reoccur is one of the symptoms. Phobia of avoiding a place, say the place where the event took place, people who were present when the event took place may reminding the individual the trauma creating emotional responsiveness. There are chronic signs such as sleep problems anger; person feeling irritated, and signs of hyper arousal, having difficulty in remembering things, and the person may also have and increased tendency of being startled. PTSD may cause stress disorders at an acute levels lasting between two days to four weeks. There are other PTSD symptoms that are associated with C-PTSD, and they include difficulty in regulating feelings, having explosive anger, behaviours which are passive and aggressive. In addition, feeling detached from an individual’s life or body, feeling helpless all the time, feeling shameful and guilty, having the feeling of being a perpetrator and change in the things that give a person suffering from PTSD meaning such as loosing spiritual faith and even having endless sense of despair. Diagnosing PTSD Follette (2006, p. 35) contends that PTSD is evaluated for many, diverse explanations, and the goal of an evaluation will resolve the techniques chosen by the expert. It is useful to seek an evaluation for PTSD by the mental health professionals. It is difficult to make PTSD assessments because sufferers complain of other symptoms and not anxiety that is associated with a specific traumatic experience. The symptoms usually include body symptoms, drug addictions and even depression. Johnson (2009, p. 3) in her book wrote that PTSD is a complex and often chronic disorder that has been found to be comorbid with numerous other disorders. People suffering from PTSD present histories of committing suicide, depression and disorders from substance abuse among others. A practitioner who will be examining a child or teenager will involve the parents separately so that both may have an opportunity to speak freely. Roberts (2011, p. 9) states that talk therapy remains one of the mainstays of treatment, helping survivors articulate and face the trauma as a way of gaining control. Interviewing the child or teenager is beneficial because it gives the child an opportunity to express a feeling that an adult may not be aware of. It is done so that the child may express the natural feelings that the child may be feeling, and an adult may not be aware of. Children who are traumatized usually have trouble sitting still, inability to manage impulses and poor focusing. Treatment of PTSD Cure for PTSD consists of meditation, psychotherapy and medication or both psychotherapy. Treatment works differently depending on the person, but the treatment should be done by someone who is experienced. Some of people suffering from PTSD should try different treatments so that one of the treatments that work may be used for the treatment. According to Dobbs (2009, p. 64-69), servicing both the diagnosis and the VA's care system, detractors say, will make certain enhanced care for real PTSD patients with individuals being misdiagnosed. Someone going through trauma that is ongoing such as an abusive relationship has to be solved concurrently with the treatment. Psychotherapy will involve talking mental health professional so that the mental illness can be treated. It occurs on a one-on-one conversation or as a group, lasting between two and half months to three months and even more. Support from friends and family members are vital. There are various types of psychotherapy for the treatment of PTSD, and the most helpful one is the cognitive, behavioral therapy (CBT), which hast three, main parts: exposure therapy, cognitive restructuring and stress inoculation training. Lihad (2010, p. 26) wrote that most of the CBT therapies set to evaluate correctly the dangers at the time of the event and the possible reactions that were available to the victim at the time. Exposure therapy will help the patient to face and control the fear by safely exposing them to the trauma experienced by use of tools such as visiting the place, images and also in writings. By use of cognitive therapy, the patient will be able to make sense of a memory that is perceived to be bad. This helps them in viewing the event at a realistic way. Stress inoculation training is the last part of CBT. However, this will try to reduce the symptoms of PTSD by teaching the patient on how to reduce the anxiety that affect him/her. The person will look at the memory in a way that is healthy. There are medications for adults with PTSD such as the use of sertraline (Zoloft) and paroxetine (Paxil) which act as antidepressants. PTSD symptoms such as sadness, anger, feeling of numbness inside and also sadness is treated with these medicines. These medicines have side effects to some patients such as being annoying which goes away with time, however, these effects should be reported to the doctor. Side effects of using Zoloft and Paxil include headache, nausea, sleeplessness or drowsiness, agitation and sexual problems such as reduced sex drive or not having an enjoyable sex. Stein and Wilkinson (2007, p. 79) in their book wrote that sertraline has two mechanisms by which warfarin’s effect on the bleeding time may be prolonged. Benzodiazepines may also be used to make the patient relax and sleep, but it makes the person dependent on the drug or has poor memory. Antipsychotics can be used, especially to patients with mental disorders. The effect of using it is that they will gain weight thereby increasing the risks of getting diabetes and heart disease. When large numbers of people are affected by a trauma such as a terrorist attack, the PTSD symptoms will be prevalent for a few weeks after the occurrence of the event. The symptoms will lessen with time; however these people can be given basic assistance such as getting them to a place that is safe, contacting a doctor if the person is injured, contacting their family members or friends and trying to learn what can be done to help the affected person. People who do not get well on their own should seek treatment from a professional. The first few weeks CBT can be used for treatment of people with severe distress. Fink (2010, p. 474) wrote that given the scarcity of trained CBT therapist, neither opinion of evidence-based treatment may be available. Treatment can be used, but the effects of the treatment may not be known. Single-session psychological debriefing can also be used to treat mass trauma. Survivors, in this treatment, will express their feelings on an individual basis in a group. Most incidences of this type treatment have, in most cases, proved to increase the distress and risks the patient experiences. PTSD diagnosis will depend substantially on the presence of the trigger, which, in most occasions is the physical trauma. It should be noted that PTSD is usually characterized by memories of the event, social withdrawal and a lot of anxiety; and the significant trauma varies. References Fink George. (2010). Stress of War, Conflict and Disaster. Oxford: Elsevier. Ford D. Julian. (2009). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Scientific and Professional Dimensions. New York: Elsevier. Corales Thomas. (2005). Focus on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. New York: Nova Science. Dobbs, David. Scientific American, Apr2009, Vol. 300 Issue 4, p64-69, 6p Follette M. Victoria. (2006). Cognitive-Behavoiural Therapies for Trauma. New York: Guilford Press. Johnson L. Sharon. (2009). Therapist Guide to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Intervention. San Diego: Academic Press. Lihad Mooli. (2010). Protocol for Treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: See Far CBT Model. Istanbul: IOB Press BV. Rainbird, Christie. (Jan 2009). Traumatic stress. Occupational Health. Jan2009, Vol. 61, Issue 1. Retrieved from: http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=5bc4ad84-0755-4616-b3d2-5366e48c9a99%40sessionmgr11&vid=1&hid=13&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=hch&AN=36278089 Roberts A. Cheryl. (2011). Coping with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: A Guide for Families. North Carolina: Cheryl A. Roberts. Stein Geoger and Wilkinson Grey. (2007). Seminars in General Adult Psychiatry. London: Cromwell Press. Read More