PTSD: Risks, Symptoms, and Treatment - Research Paper Example

? Post-traumatic stress disorder April 5, Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mood disorder that is developed as a result of an individual being involved in or witnessing a traumatic event. Causes of PTSD vary from one person to another, but the most common types of PTSD onset are genetic disposition, experiencing or witnessing a traumatizing event, the environment in which works or lives, and alterations within the brain. Symptoms range from avoiding activities that are associated with the trauma, emotional numbing, intrusive memories such as flashbacks and dreams, severe anxiety, and an increase in emotional responses. While there is no current cure for post-traumatic stress disorder, treatment methods are available in the forms of medication and therapy, both of which can help the patient learn to cope with the traumatic event and learn to lead a more positive life unhindered by fear and anxiety. Post-traumatic stress disorder Overview Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an emotional disorder that is characterized by severe anxiety after an individual has experienced a psychologically traumatic event. After someone has been subjected to a horrific situation, regardless of whether they are personally affected or merely a bystander to an incident that befalls another, their brain reacts defensively. Each human brain is unique in the way that it defends itself, and the coping mechanisms likewise vary. While humans are different in their emotional responses and in handling of traumatic events, it is unusual when coping and adjusting exceed a certain length of time. When this occurs, the individual undergoes diagnostic tests to determine if their extended coping period is really post-traumatic stress disorder. Etiology and risk factors Like many anxiety disorders, there is no single concrete cause of post-traumatic stress disorder. Since each person responds differently to traumatic events, the causes of individual PTSD will vary depending on the circumstances. However, much research has been gathered over many decades of surveying individuals with PTSD that has allowed scientists and psychologists gain a better understanding of the internal mechanisms that influence the onset of post-traumatic stress disorder. As a result of this extensive research, it has been determined that there are four categories of potential causes of PTSD, which are genetics, psychological trauma, environment, and the functions of the brain. Post-traumatic stress disorder has been known to be more prevalent in individuals who have immediate family members that suffer from PTSD or other anxiety or mood disorder, like depression or bipolar disorder. This suggests that there may be a hereditary disposition for PTSD; if there is a family history of mood disorders, than other family members may be susceptible to developing a disorder themselves. Among the studies conducted to determine if such a connection truly exists are those that focused on twins who were active in military combat. One such study revealed that one twin diagnosed with PTSD as a result of being exposed to combat was associated with an increased risk that his identical twin would also be diagnosed with PTSD, a risk that was significantly decreased in nonidentical twins (True, Rice, & Eisen, 1993). The conclusions of this study propose a genetic connection, though further investigation is currently being undergone in an attempt to replicate the results. Experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event is one of the primary characteristics of PTSD that sets this disorder apart from many others. Individuals that experience extraordinary strain on their emotions have an increased chance of developing PTSD. The most common traumatic events that act as catalysts to PTSD are physical, sexual, and emotional abuse during childhood or adulthood. Furthermore, experiencing or witnessing physical assault, accidents that cause injury, medical complications, and illness are other potential causes of PTSD. Individuals who have been diagnosed with a life-threatening disease are also prone to developing PTSD, among other mood disorders. The environment in which people work regularly or live has proven to have a connection with the development of PTSD. Police officers, emergency responders, doctors and nurses that have rounds in emergency or operation rooms are all susceptible to developing post-traumatic stress disorder due to their constant exposure to the traumatic experiences of others. Men and women in the military, whether they are in combat themselves or else assist those who become injured during battle, are among the profession most exposed to traumatic events and, therefore, to an increased risk of developing PTSD. Also in this category are those who live in locations where crime rates are high or in areas with heavy traffic that are prone to frequent vehicular accidents. Finally, research has shown that individuals who have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder have discrepancies in their brains that do not exist in those who do not have PTSD. When someone is subjected to a traumatic event, the brain’s response might be an over-reaction of adrenaline. As a result of an unbalanced and atypical amount of adrenalin, deep neurological patterns can form in the brain (Jones & Barlow, 1990). The longer that these patterns persist, the more likely that the individual will experience hyper-responses to future psychological trauma. Due to the presence of these patterns in the brain, when the individual is subjected to another traumatic event, their brain responds to the elevated levels of stress hormones by suppressing hypothalamic activity, thus resulting in symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder. Symptoms The symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder often do not make themselves known until three months after an event. However, there have been many cases during which symptoms did not become evident for years after the traumatic experience, making PTSD difficult to diagnose. Symptoms associated with PTSD are split into three categories: avoidance and numbing, intrusive memories, and emotional arousal. In the category of avoidance and numbing, the symptoms are those that keep an individual detached from their world following a psychologically traumatic event. Individuals do not allow themselves to talk or even think about the traumatic event, repressing the memories to the point of denial that they occurred. They develop memory problems and difficulty in concentrating, which is believed to be a paranoid response. Many people who have experienced traumatic events are always hyperaware in an attempt to protect themselves from future incidences. These individuals avoid activities and hobbies that they once enjoyed, and feel hopeless about having a productive and fulfilling future. It also becomes difficult for them to maintain close relationships, shunting friends and family aside since they often believe that life will be cut short, making relationships frivolous. Intrusive memories are the brain’s defense against memory repression, constantly reminding the individual of the traumatic event that was experienced. They may be subjected to repeated flashbacks, causing them to relive the event as though it were a movie being played time and again. Most flashbacks last only for a few minutes, though “there have been reported cases during which the flashbacks lasted for many days at a time (Would, Holmes, & Postma, 2012)”. Besides reliving their traumatic event during their waking hours, these individuals may also be subjected to distressing and horrific dreams about the event, not allowing them a reprieve from the horror already experienced. In the emotional arousal category, individuals experience anxiety and an increase in emotion. They are easily frightened and startled, constantly on alert for impending danger. This paranoia also causes them to see or hear things that are not really there. Their minds, hyperaware, pick out danger when danger does not exist. This can lead to difficulty in sleeping, which can further cause anger and irritability. As the symptoms worsen and the individual becomes haunted by their traumatic event, they can begin to indulge in self-destructive behavior, such as using drugs and consuming copious amounts of alcohol. According the DSM-IV set forth by the American Psychiatric Association, at least one symptom from each of the aforementioned categories must persist for a minimum of four weeks before the individual can properly be diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Furthermore, the presence of these symptoms must cause impairment to the individual’s social, occupational, familial, and other important aspects of their life. If these symptoms continue for less than three months, then the individual is diagnosed with acute PTSD, but if symptoms persist for more than three months, the diagnosis is chronic PTSD. Diagnosis Diagnosing post-traumatic stress disorders because a tedious undertaking for the psychologist given PTSD’s similarity to a variety of other anxiety and mood disorders (Orme, 2012. To determine which disorder that an individual has, a doctor would have them undergo a variety of tests and examinations. The first aspect that would be considered is if the person experienced an event that could be classified as psychologically traumatizing. Following this would be an examination to understand the type of symptoms that the person is experiencing, as well as the duration of the symptoms and the effect that the symptoms are having on the functions of the individual’s life. Depending on the results of these tests, the doctor may conduct a variety of physical and additional psychological exams to rule out the possibility of other psychological disorders. Treatment Unfortunately, there are no current methods to cure an individual of post-traumatic stress disorder. Instead, medications and therapies have been designed to help sufferers of PTSD regain control over their emotions, allowing them to return to their normal lives without having to succumb to the effects of their traumatic event. Though there are many treatments available, individual circumstances and present symptoms will determine each plan. Most individuals are treated with a mixture of both medication and therapy. When an individual with PTSD first seeks treatment, they are often treated with medication to alleviate symptoms that prevent them from responding with emotional clarity. Medication will be prescribed based on the symptoms that the individual is experiencing. Antipsychotics are used to treat severe anxiety and emotional outbursts; antidepressants relieve symptoms related to depression, but can also help with sleep and concentration difficulties; anti-anxiety medications help with anxiety and stress; and prazosin, which helps block the brain’s response to the natural adrenalin chemical known as norepinephrine, treats hypertension, insomnia, and can reduce or completely suppress nightmares. Once the individual is emotionally stable, the next utilized method of treatment is therapy. The most common type of therapy is cognitive therapy, during which the therapist helps the patient understand their negative ways of thinking that may be prohibiting them from accurately perceiving normal situations. Exposure therapy, a form of behavioral therapy, involves the patient learning to come to terms with the event that traumatized them, so that they can find more positive ways to effectively cope with that event. A new type of this therapy implements virtual reality technology, making it possible to re-enter the setting associated with the event, giving the therapist the opportunity to walk through the ordeal with the patient (Feeny & Chen, 2011). Not only can this method provide insight to the therapist as to the aspects of the event that the patient found traumatizing, but the therapist can, step-by-step, show the patient that their fear or anxiety is misplaced. There may not currently be a cure for post-traumatic stress disorder. Fortunately, the treatment methods available to sufferers of this debilitating disease can learn how to fight the fears associated with their traumatic event and learn beneficial ways in which to cope with current and future situations that may arise. In time, these individuals will be able to lead regular lives, unencumbered by memories of their horrific moments. References Feeny, N., & Chen, J. (2011). Teaching trauma-focused exposure therapy for PTSD. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 3(3), 300-308. Retrieved April 4, 2013, from the EBSCOhost database. Jones, J., & Barlow, D. (1990). The etiology of post-traumatic stress disorder. Clinical Psychology Review, 10, 299-328. Retrieved April 2, 2013, from the EBSCOhost database. Orme, D. (2012). Diagnosing PTSD: Lessons from neuropsychology. Military Psychology, 24, 397-413. Retrieved April 4, 2013, from the EBSCOhost database. True, W., Rice, J., & Eisen, S. (1993). A twin study of genetic and environmental contributions to liability for post-traumatic stress symptoms. Archives of General Psychiatry, 50(4), 257-264. Retrieved April 3, 2013, from the EBSCOhost database. Would, M., Holmes, E., & Postma, P. (2012). Ameliorating intrusive memories of distressing experiences using computerized reappraisal training. Emotion, 12(4), 778-784. Retrieved April 2, 2013, from the EBSCOhost database. Read More