Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - Research Paper Example

Bad or intrusive memories: people with post-traumatic stress disorders may have either recurrent, distressing memories of the traumatic event, upsetting dreams about the traumatic event, or they may have flashbacks about the traumatic event. Guilt or negative changes in thinking or mood: post-traumatic stress disorder sufferers may have negative feelings about themselves or other people, be hopeless about the future, or they be unable to experience positive feelings. Shame or changes in emotional reactions: post-traumatic disorder sufferers exhibit behaviours such as irritability and angry outbursts or aggressive behaviour, being on guard for danger, and a feeling of overwhelming guilt or shame.

Exposure treatment: during the exposure treatment, the psychological therapist helps the post-trauma disorder sufferer to confront all the traumatic memories that cause them distress; the therapist asks the patient to recount repeatedly in painstaking details all the traumatic experiences memories that cause them distress. Through exposing and recounting the traumatic memories in details, the traumatic event will no longer cause high levels distress. Cognitive Therapy: as a method of treating post-traumatic stress disorder, cognitive therapy aims at helping the post-traumatic disorder sufferer to identify and to modify their excessively negative cognitions (thoughts and beliefs) that cause them constant distress.

Stress Management: Stress management helps the post-traumatic disorder patients to develop skills that can help them to cope with the distress. Such skills include: relaxation training, breathing training, and training on positive thinking. Apart from the above three Psychological methods of treating post-traumatic stress disorder, the other Psychological therapies used in the treating of post-traumatic stress disorders include, supportive therapy and no-directive counselling, Psychodynamic therapies, and Hypnotherapy(National