| For those who experience it, post-traumatic | | | | For those who have been diagnosed with |
| stress disorder can be an incredibly | | | | post-traumatic stress disorder, there are |
| debilitating disease that can prevent you | | | | some ways to treat it. The most common form |
| from living a full life. This disorder can | | | | of treatment is through psychotherapy. A |
| bring back moments of severe stress so | | | | therapist has several tools at his or her |
| clearly that it is almost as though you are | | | | disposal and can work with the sufferer to |
| reliving the moment all over again. | | | | root out the causes of the disorder and help |
| | | | cure it. As well, a psychiatrist is the best |
| First diagnosed in war veterans, | | | | person to talk to in order to actually |
| post-traumatic stress disorder was initially | | | | diagnose PTSD in the first place, helping the |
| named "shell shock" then "battle fatigue". | | | | sufferer to at least understand what is |
| However, by the time of the conflict in | | | | happening. Knowing what is wrong is the |
| Vietnam, it was given the name | | | | first step to curing it, after all. |
| "post-traumatic stress disorder" (PTSD) in | | | | |
| order to give a clearer idea of what exactly | | | | Group treatment is also effective, as it |
| is at work. As well, it is not only found in | | | | allows people to talk about their feelings of |
| war veterans. In fact, it can be seen in | | | | guilt, shame, anxiety, or depression with |
| people who were abused as children, rape | | | | others who feel the same way. This allows |
| victims, people who have to clean up after | | | | people to get comfortable with one another |
| disaster, or anyone else who has undergone | | | | and talk about their feelings openly and |
| severe stress at any point in their lives. | | | | honestly. By getting the issues out in the |
| | | | open, it almost spreads it out and allows the |
| Unfortunately, the treatment of | | | | trauma to dissipate by opening it up to other |
| post-traumatic stress disorder is still in | | | | people. |
| its infancy. Psychologists, psychiatrists, | | | | |
| and neurologists are still coming to grips | | | | However, there are some medications that can |
| with the disease and its causes and effects, | | | | be used to help treat post-traumatic stress |
| but they are learning new things constantly. | | | | disorder. Mostly, these drugs are used to |
| | | | treat some of the symptoms of PTSD, such as |
| In a strictly biochemical sense, PTSD has its | | | | depression or anxiety, allowing the sufferer |
| root causes at the moment of stress itself. | | | | to at least alleviate the condition. Most of |
| It seems that at moments of extreme stress, | | | | these drugs take some time to work before |
| the biochemical system in charge of adjusting | | | | they actually show results so, if you have |
| to stress is reset, like a computer. It is | | | | been put onto medication for PTSD, give it a |
| as though the system is so overloaded that it | | | | few weeks before you start expecting relief. |
| has to shut itself down and restart. | | | | |
| Unfortunately, this also causes the mind to | | | | However, studies have shown that the best way |
| quickly return to that moment when it had to | | | | to treat post-traumatic stress disorder is to |
| start and stop, which can cause flashbacks to | | | | nip it in the bud shortly after the trauma |
| the moments when the shock occurred. | | | | has occurred. The usual method is to sit |
| | | | down with someone who has suffered a trauma |
| The other results of post-traumatic stress | | | | about 3-10 days after the trauma occurred. |
| disorder include anger, depression, anxiety, | | | | This will allow the feelings to be fresh, |
| substance abuse, memory problems including | | | | while it also helps people relieve the trauma |
| amnesia, or any of a host of other mental | | | | by bringing it out before it hides itself in |
| disorders. Unfortunately, many of these | | | | the mind. There has been some success with |
| disorders are treated individually without | | | | this sort of treatment, though it does |
| concern for the root cause. This is | | | | require the trauma to be recognized early. |
| particularly worrisome because approximately | | | | |
| 3.6% of adults between the ages of 18 and 54 | | | | Post-traumatic stress disorder is a |
| are suffering from post-traumatic stress | | | | surprisingly common disorder that often goes |
| disorder and the vast majority of them go | | | | unnoticed and untreated. However, with |
| undiagnosed and untreated. As well, women | | | | improvements in therapy and medication, there |
| are twice as likely as men to experience PTSD | | | | is new hope for those who suffer from this |
| after a sudden shock. | | | | debilitating disorder. |
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