Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - Research Paper Example

Post-traumatic stress disorder Table of contents Section One 1.1 History.............................................................................. 3 1.2 Symptoms.........................................................................4 1.3 Effect of disorders on significant others...........................6 Section Two 2.1 Causal factors....................................................................7 2.2 Theories of causation........................................................9 Section Three 3.1 Treatment and results........................................................11 References...............................................................................15 Post-traumatic stress disorder Section One 1.1 History Post-traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder that is precipitated by a traumatic event, usually a life-threatening situation either for the individual, or for a bystander that the individual is witnessing. When the period of adjusting and coping does not abate after a short length of time and the traumatic responses have only gotten worse, an individual is usually then diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Even though the American Psychiatric Association only began recognizing post-traumatic stress disorder in the early 1980s, and thus including it in the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders, this anxiety disorder has been noted to have been around for many centuries. Many of the apparent causes of post-traumatic stress disorder, which will be discussed in-depth in due time, most of which involve putting the lives of others at risk, have been around since the dawn of mankind. Battle, the tragic loss of a loved one, or else someone finding themselves in a situation in which their safety is compromised have all been a part of the human experience. As such, it can be assumed that post-traumatic stress disorder dates back thus far. However, back in those archaic days that greatly lacked science and medicine, it would have been difficult to realize that such responses were a result of a traumatic experience or event. Moreover, in the decade or so preceding the 1980s, despite the fact that post-traumatic stress disorder was prevalent in many soldiers of war, the disorder was brushed off as cowardice or weakness. This was before the disorder was officially recognized. It was not until the aftermath of the Vietnam War that the intensity of post-traumatic stress disorder became clear, though it was originally classified as a disorder directly connected to the Vietnam War itself (Fredericks, 2010). The veterans, many of whom were diagnosed with what was first known as post-Vietnam syndrome, became active in making it known that post-traumatic stress disorder was a real disorder, one that needed proper research so that treatment could be given. 1.2 Symptoms The symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder normally do not make themselves known until approximately three months after a traumatic event. However, there have been some cases in which symptoms did not appear for many years after the individual experienced or witnessed the event. There are three categories that symptoms pertaining to post-traumatic stress disorder are grouped, which are intrusive memories, avoidance and numbing, and increased anxiety or emotional arousal. Intrusive memories: When a person shows symptoms related to intrusive memories, they have flashbacks or dreams about the event. They tend to relive the event for many minutes at a time, though some patients have relived the traumatic experience for days at a time. These flashbacks and dreams are undesirable to the individual, constantly reminding them of what took place and causing them to feel anxious. Avoidance and numbing: In response to traumatic events, most people prefer to cope by avoiding anything to do with the event. However, someone who has is suffering from or has developed post-traumatic stress disorder really goes out of the way to avoid reminders of the event that took place. They avoid talking and thinking about the event, and they often have memory problems, which is believed to be an unconscious response to completely forget about the event. Furthermore, they have difficult in concentrating and many have said to have felt emotionally numb, unable to express any sort of emotion. Other common symptoms in this category have to deal with how the individual handles life after the traumatic event. They begin to avoid activities and hobbies that they once took great pleasure it, and they stop looking towards the future with hope and promise. This is due to the individual feeling uncertain about whether or not they will even have a future. Post-traumatic stress disorder tends to make individuals feel like every second could be their last. Finally, and for the same reason, relationships with the individual begin to suffer and fail. Increased anxiety or emotional arousal: People suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder can feel very angry, guilty, or emotionally unhinged. In an attempt to become more aware of their surroundings as to avoid witnessing or experiencing another traumatic event, they find difficulty in sleeping and they hear and see things that do not exist in their current surroundings. Due to their delicate mental and emotional states, these individuals also frighten quite easily, jumping at the slightest sound or a sudden movement. There is also criteria that must be met based on the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders before a diagnosis can be properly made. Some of the criteria as set forth by the DSM includes (Smith, 2010): Being exposed to a disastrous event involving actual or the probability of death or affliction. This event must be distinguished by intense fear. The length of the post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms last at least a month. The individual experiences remarkable distress that negatively impacts their day-to-day life as a result of the post-traumatic stress disorder. The individual avoids anything that will cause them to re-live the event, including experiencing an emotional numbness that can interfere with relationships. The individual tends to be hyper aroused, which results in them becoming easily frightened and being vigilant to the point of experiencing paranoia. The traumatic event persists as a dominating psychological experience, typically causing a person to experience flashbacks of the event from other stimuli. 1.3 Effect of disorder on significant others As previously mentioned, a person suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder has difficulty in maintaining their relationships with friends and family. Due to this, it is common when some of the loved ones that are close to the person with post-traumatic stress disorder begin to feel helpless, often developing depression because of the lack of emotional and mental responses from their significant other. This is their response to the mental and emotional changes that the sufferer is going through, which is sometimes known as “compassion fatigue.” The person who has experienced the event is trying to cope with what has happened, and their moods and behaviors might drastically change from one day to the next. Between that and the feelings of the friends and family members, a lot of strain can be placed on these relationships. A common response to having communication with or being close to someone who has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder is that the other person can begin to relive traumatic events from their own past. They relate to the pain of their loved one, which can cause an almost automatic response of remembering many of their own horrific events in life. This can also happen when a friend or family member is trying to fully understand what their loved one is going through, and therefore brings up some of their own past experiences where intense fear for their life was present. Though it is very uncommon, this can result in the other person also developing post-traumatic stress disorder. It is because of this that the other person might shy away if their friend or family member tries to talk more about the traumatic event. They no longer want to remember their own traumatic experiences in life. The effects of the disorder and the strain of relationships become even greater when the person who has developed post-traumatic stress disorder shared or witnessed the event with someone else that they are very close to. That other person may not have post-traumatic stress disorder, yet they may want to talk about the event with the other person. The presence of the anxiety disorder, as well as its symptoms, would make it almost impossible for that person to discuss what took place out of fear of reliving the event (Roberts, 2011). One person will attempt to cope by talking about it, but the other person, the one with post-traumatic stress disorder, will want nothing to do with remembering what took place. Section Two 2.1 Causal factors Like many anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder does not come with a definite cause, or even an estimated guess. Furthermore, it shares a few similarities with other anxiety and emotional disorders, such as depression, and can therefore clash with other diagnoses. However, there are numerous factors that have proven to play a role in the developing of post-traumatic stress disorder, which are different from other disorders. First and foremost, people of any age can develop post-traumatic stress disorder, though it is more common in adults. The younger someone is, the better they are at implementing positive coping mechanisms, which can essentially prevent the development of post-traumatic stress disorder, or else avoid the risk altogether. Women have a greater chance at developing the disorder than men; the risk in four times greater for females. The reason behind this is that women are often at an increased risk of experiencing some of the harmful, violent, traumatic events that can cause post-traumatic stress disorder to develop. The primary factor in post-traumatic stress disorder is the existence of and involvement in a traumatic event that has subjected the individual to intense fear. Some of these events include, but are not limited to, surviving a natural disaster, a car or plane accident, kidnapping, torture, or a life-threatening medical diagnosis, like a tumor or cancer. From there, the causal factors are branched out into three different ways: common causes in men, common causes in women, and general increased risks regardless of gender or the situation, as many of the causes that will follow may not apply to everyone. Men: The most common cause of post-traumatic stress disorder in men is exposure to combat. One in every eight soldiers that return home from war is diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, accounting for the highest category of those at risk for the disorder (Van Winkle, 2010). Rape, and neglect and physical abuse as a young child make up the remainder of the most common causes of post-traumatic stress disorder in men. Women: As previously mentioned, women pose a greater risk at developing post-traumatic stress disorder because they have a greater chance at experiencing some of the causes. They also have a few more causes than men, which also causes an increased risk. Rape, sexual molestation, and being physically attacked or threatened with a weapon or a potentially dangerous instrument tend to be experienced more by women, and are therefore among the most common causal factors in women developing the disorder. Physical abuse as a child is also a risk factor in women. General risks: Regardless of the event, people can still develop post-traumatic stress disorder. Some of the risks that make this possible include the experienced or witnessed traumatic event being extremely intense and lasting for a long period of time; having a previously diagnosed medical condition, or having a family history of depression or post-traumatic stress disorder; having experienced physical abuse or neglect during childhood; and not having a supportive system of friends and family. 2.2 Theories of causation Research is still ongoing as to what causes post-traumatic stress disorder. It is believed that, as is the case with most mental illnesses, post-traumatic stress disorder is caused by a complex mixture of many elements. One of these elements are the life experiences a person has been exposed to since childhood, which is the basis of this disorder. As such, this element can also stand on its own as one of the causes of post-traumatic stress disorder. If a person experiences a traumatic event or is abused or neglected in their childhood, they can easily develop post-traumatic stress disorder if their abuse is not curbed by positive help or reinforcement. Likewise, post-traumatic stress disorder is caused when an individual is subjected to and must deal with an abnormal level of stress, which becomes present during a traumatic event. Individuals that suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder have abnormal levels of hormones that affect they way they their bodies and brains respond to stress. New chemicals arise in the brain during moments of stress, but if the brain regulates these chemicals and hormones that are released during stress in an abnormal way, the individual will then have an abnormal response and coping method to their stress (Afgan, 2010). Furthermore, the function of the thyroid is intensified and a chemical imbalance takes place, which also makes this disorder a physiological one. The symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder can cause an overactive adrenaline response, which is then capable of creating deep neurological patterns in an individual’s brain. Since these patterns can remain in the brain long after the traumatic event has subsided, they can cause a person to be hyper-responsive to traumatic situations that may arise in the future. Genetics is also thought to play a role in the developing of post-traumatic stress disorder. If an individual has a family history of psychiatric illnesses, such as anxiety, depression, and even post-traumatic stress disorder, they have a chance of developing the disorder themselves. Having an inherited predisposition to disorders such post-traumatic stress will make it easier for others in that gene family to develop post-traumatic stress disorder or any other anxiety-related disorders. Similarly, an individual’s temperament, or the inherited aspects of their personality, can determine if a person stands the risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder. The concept of genetics was further explored in a study that looked at twins that fought in Vietnam. When one half of a pair of identical twins developed post-traumatic stress disorder, the risk of the other twin developing the disorder was increased. When one half of a pair of non-identical twins was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, the other twin had a decreased chance of developing the disorder. Similar studies have been undergone on twins fighting in the the Second Gulf War and the same results have been found. Section Three 3.1 Treatment and results When a person who has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder seeks treatment in a timely manner, they increase their chances of overcoming the disorder and the fear that has been emblazoned in them after the traumatic event. Furthermore, it is also recommended that people who have experienced a traumatic event, such as a car accident or an intense act of violence, seek help as soon as possible, which can serve to possibly prevent the development of post-traumatic stress disorder. The treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder comes in two forms: medications and psychotherapy. More often than not, when a person is treated for post-traumatic stress disorder, they get a combination of medication and therapy. Medications: Though there are no medications that have been created solely for the purpose of treating post-traumatic stress disorder, there are medications already available that can help alleviate the symptoms associated with the disorder. Antidepressants are used to help fight the symptoms of both depression and anxiety; they can also be used to help with problems involving sleeping or concentration. Antidepressants are usually the first medication prescribed to a sufferer of post-traumatic stress disorder since they are the most reliable at ridding a sufferer of the anxiety and stress associated with post-traumatic stress disorder. Prazosin is the most common medication used in treating post-traumatic stress disorder. This medication not only helps decrease the amount of recurrent nightmares and flashbacks, but it also aids in blocking the brain’s response to norepinephrine, which is an adrenaline-like brain chemical (Horowitz, 2011). This chemical is often what causes hyper arousal and paranoia in a patient, and the medication is capable of preventing the chemical from bringing about these emotions and feelings. The medication a person is prescribed is based on the severity of their post-traumatic stress disorder and their present symptoms. Another deciding factor is how far along a person is in terms of their disorder, such as if the person has been experiencing the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder for a lengthy period of time, if the diagnosis is fairly recent, or if the person is simply trying to avoid developing or furthering post-traumatic stress disorder. The results of these medications are both positive and promising. The medications exist to make the person feel better by altering the chemical goings-on in their brains. As the medication works in the person’s brain, the person responds more positively to their emotions and to their surroundings, which calms the individual down. When the individual responds to the effects of the medication, they are able to move on to the psychotherapy portion of their treatment. Psychotherapy: Just like the medication, the type of therapy a person receives is dependent on their symptoms and where they are with their post-traumatic stress disorder. Many people prefer different types of therapy, moving from one style to another as their progress changes and their disorder improves. Individual and group therapy are available, as well as family therapy in the case that family members are affected by their loved one being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder or if they simply want help in understanding the situation that their loved one is in. Cognitive therapy aims to help the patient identify and change self-destructive thought patterns. The purpose of this therapy is to determine what triggered the onset of post-traumatic stress disorder, what the responses are to the traumatic event, and the positive and healthy ways that a person can respond to their feelings. Exposure therapy, which is a behavioral therapy, aims at teaching the individual how to confront the aspect of the traumatic event that they found to be disturbing. They are then taught methods that how them effectively cope with these aspects. Cognitive behavior therapy combines the aforementioned therapies to help the patient identify their unhealthy responses to the traumatic event and substitute them with positive, healthy responses. A fourth type of therapy is known as eye movement desensitization, which is a combination of exposure therapy and a sequence of guided eye movements that allow a patient to process their traumatic memories (Walser & Westrup, 2007), thus bringing them forth. This will allow them to acknowledge what it is about them that they are having difficulties with. The various types of therapy are very successful when the patients participant in them as their doctors order. These approaches enable post-traumatic stress disorder patients to gain complete control over the fears that they have encountered because of the traumatic event. More often than not, however, a combination of both medication and therapy is required to see any sort of improvement in the patient. Many healthcare professionals find it easier to help the patient to cope with their fear and anxiety after the chemicals in the patient’s brain have calmed down, which is why many healthcare professionals prefer to put their patients on medication before beginning therapy. This has also proven to be a more successful treatment strategy for patients. Additional treatment: Some sufferers of post-traumatic stress disorder experience suicidal thoughts or other destructive behaviors. In cases such as these, the patient is placed in a hospital and put on one or more of the previously mentioned medications until their symptoms alleviate. After their symptoms have subsided, they are released from the hospital and are placed in one or more of the aforementioned therapies. Likewise, post-traumatic stress disorder can also bring about other problems, such as drug or alcohol abuse, which need specialized treatment before treatment can be given for post-traumatic stress disorder. References Afgan, N. (2010). Neurobiology of post-traumatic stress disorder. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers. Fredericks, C. (2010). Post-traumatic stress disorder. Detroit: Greenhaven Press. Horowitz, M. (2011). Treatment of post-traumatic stress disorders. New York: Createspace. Roberts, C. A. (2011). Coping with post-traumatic stress disorder (2nd ed.). Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co. . Smith, P. (2010). Post traumatic stress disorder. London: Routledge. Winkle, C. V. (2010). Soft spots: A Marine's memoir of combat and post-traumatic stress disorder. New York: St. Martin's Press. Walser, R. D., & Westrup, D. (2007). Acceptance and commitment therapy for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and trauma-related problems. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications. Read More