Mental Health and PTSD - Essay Example

"Mental Health and PTSD" is an interesting example of a paper on the disorder.
(a) Do you feel that PTSD affects all segments of society equally? Why or why not?  
When considering the extent that PTSD affects all segments of society there are several elements that one must consider. One of the most pervasive understandings of PTSD is as a disorder that affects war veterans, yet in reality, PTSD affects all individuals experiencing powerfully traumatic events. Outside of the realm of the military, it’s been noted that oftentimes individuals who are the victims of violent crime suffer from PTSD. For instance, Armour (2006) considers the case of a saleswoman woman named Bonnie Harris who suffered from PTSD after being the victim of violent crime. In addition to war veterans and citizens of developed nations, research has also indicated that individuals in developing nations suffer from mental health issues, including PTSD. In these regards, it’s clear that PTSD is a disorder that affects all segments of society in proportion to the propensity of their exposure to traumatic situations.   

(b) Are the available treatments for PTSD administered by health professionals effective? Why or why not?  

Available health treatments for PTSD have several effective and ineffective aspects. One of the major considerations is the understanding that while oftentimes treatment options are effective, there are difficulties for individuals to attain this treatment. Armour (2006) indicates that oftentimes employer’s health care plans have limited mental health options as compared to traditional health concerns. Another instance where this has occurred is in developing nations. It’s been indicated that “The enormous gap between mental health needs and the services in developing countries has been documented in international reports, culminating in the World Health Report 2001” (Patel, Benedetto, and Kleinman 1312). Still in instances when individuals have received adequate mental health care, research has demonstrated considerable treatment gains. For example, Maxmen & Ward (2001) have indicated that a variety of medical treatment options exist that have shown significant gains in alleviating many of the PTSD symptoms. Still, in a later study Maxmen & Ward (2003) demonstrated that while treatment options have been effective, they require constant vigilance, as there is not a single medication that ‘cures’ PTSD. Ultimately, it’s clear that medical treatment is effective,  yet not entirely, in treating PTSD.  

 
(c) Do you feel that there is a stigma associated with this mental illness? 

Examining the extent that there is a stigma associated with post-traumatic stress disorder is a complex consideration. When considering the notion of stigma one recognizes that in large part this is perspective based and to some degree subjective; however, it’s also clear that there are tangible examples where bias or ‘stigma’ has been levied against individuals with PTSD in social settings, for instance, the workplace. One of the main stigmas associated with PTSD is its characterization as a mental illness. While many other health issues have achieved increasingly higher levels of understanding, mental health issues continue to be at the heart of considerable social bias. Even with this bias gains have been made in terms of mental health issues, as new Federal Guidelines issued in 1997 granted increasing accommodations for individuals suffering from these types of disorders. However, mental health issues continue to experience disproportionate stigma as compared to traditional health issues. Armour (2006) indicates that “companies’ mental health coverage often lags behind coverage for physical ailments.” Ultimately, it’s clear that while gains have been made in the de-stigmatization of PTSD, bias still exists in society and the contemporary workplace.