Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Barbara A. Titus
Psychopathology
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Posttraumatic stress disorder, (PTSD) is an anxiety illness that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened.[1]   Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, or military combat.   It is characterized by anxiety, dissociative, and other symptoms that last for more than one month.[2]   Acute stress disorder (ASD) is characterized by anxiety and dissociative symptoms that occur within one month after exposure to a traumatic stressor.[3]   Symptoms in ASD must last for a minimum of 2 days and a maximum of 4 weeks.   PTSD and ASD sufferers re-experience the traumatic event or events in some way, tend to avoid places, people, or other things that remind them of the event (avoidance), and are exquisitely sensitive to normal life experiences (hyperarousal).   Although these conditions have likely existed since human beings have endured trauma, PTSD has only been recognized as a formal diagnosis since 1980.[4]   ASD was introduced to the DSM-IV in 1994.[5]   PTSD has affected thousands of people and it affects children, adults, men and women. It was thought to be a disorder of war veterans who had been involved in combat, but research studied reveals that PTSD can result in many types of trauma especially those being life-threatening.   It's been called many different names; Shell shock, Battle fatigue, Soldier's heart and Post Vietnam syndrome.   PTSD has often been misunderstood or misdiagnosed even though it has specific symptoms and is a serious mental illness.
Statistics regarding this illness have indicated that 70% of adults in the U.S. have experienced some type of traumatic event, at least once in their lifetimes.   Up to 20% of these people go on to develop PTSD.   An estimated 1 out of every 10 women develops PTSD and women are about twice as likely...