Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an impairing, potentially chronic disorder that affects a margin of American adults. When people experience exceptionally threatening and distressing events or are under extreme traumatic situations, there is a possibility of one being pushed beyond the ability to cope. PTSD survivors may find it difficult to reveal the precise nature of the traumatic situation and the associated re-living symptoms and feelings, and they may initially not be able to discuss the most distressing elements of their experience. PTSD affects ordinary activities and personal relationships, thus making treatment essential for potential patients. PTSD patients can be self-destructive, engaging in reckless behavior such as negligent driving, an excessive amount of alcohol use or drug abuse. Diagnosing and treating PTSD is crucial for both individuals with the disorder and their relationships with their loved ones. The distress experienced by many war veterans incited an interest in developing conjoint interventions to relieve the suffering of the PTSD patients and their loved ones. This paper will discuss the cause, symptoms and available treatment options. Furthermore, an in-depth look into one of the main characteristics of PTSD will be presented, which is the avoidance of trauma-related stimuli after the traumatic event, and a new approach to treat this particular symptom will be reviewed.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is described as “a potentially chronic, impairing disorder that is characterized by re-experience and hyperarousal symptoms as well as negative cognitions and avoidance of trauma-related stimuli” (Perlick et al., 2017, p. 2). People who experience such episodes may recover from them, but some survivors who have PTSD may encounter emotional issues with their close family relationships or friendships. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2013), PTSD is classified as a Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorder. The occurrence of PTSD according to Roberts (2011) shows that roughly 5% of Americans suffer from this disorder. That percentage impacts more than 13 million people who struggle with PTSD, making it crucial for family members to identify the disorder and seek adequate treatment. To obtain a better comprehension of PTSD, this paper will discuss the symptoms, causes, and expose current researches, innovative and alternate approaches to treat the disorder.
The history of exposure to trauma has been innate of the human evolution. Attacks by natural predators, nature-related disasters or recent terrorist attacks have perhaps caused similar psychological consequences in the victim (Friedman, 2013). In 1980, The American Psychiatric Association first introduced PTSD to the DSM-III causing a bit of controversy. According to Friedman (2013), the breakthrough was presenting the idea of the trauma concept as being originated from a violent event instead of an individual weakness.
A potential PTSD patient must meet certain criteria for them to be diagnosed with the disorder. PTSD can befall in people who have been exposed extreme violent situations, actual or threatened serious injury, human-made disasters, natural catastrophes, or actual or threatened sexual violence. A potential PTSD patient must meet certain criteria for them to be diagnosed with the disorder. The American Psychiatric Association (2013), states that PTSD can occur in people who had exposure to death, been threatened with violence, actual or threatened serious injury, or actual or threatened sexual violence. The exposure to the trauma can be personally experienced or witnessed as it happened to others. Enduring repeated or extreme exposure to troublesome details of a traumatic event (i.e., law enforcement officers frequently seeing violence; health care professionals repeatedly exposed to death) or hearing about a traumatic episode that occurred to a close family member or friend, in this instance, the episode must have been violent or unexpected. (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). The occurrence causes that person to feel intense fear, and or a sense of helplessness. Research suggests that prolonged trauma may disrupt neurochemistry (Colman, 2006) and for some individuals, this may result in developing PTSD.
PTSD symptoms persist for more than thirty days and include repeated and involuntary reliving of the traumatic event, avoidance of the reminders of the event and desensitized emotions. Also common are insomnia, nightmares related to the traumatic event, wariness, poor concentration, irritability, guilt, shame, dissociative reactions, and negative appraisals about oneself and the world (Perlick et al., 2017). The symptoms may cause severe problems or distress in personal relationships, and create hardship in general aspects of daily life. Persistent and deliberate avoidance of thoughts, memories, and activities that may trigger recollection of the traumatic event is widespread among PTSD patients (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Anger and intimate partner violence are also associated with the disorder, according to DSM-5 (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) individuals with PTSD may be quick-tempered and may engage in aggressive behavior with little or no incitement. Hypervigilance and exaggerated startle response are other serious signs of the disorder; victims suffering from PTSD tend to present chronic hypervigilance that may generate panic attacks and flashbacks (Colman, 2006). Those are serious symptoms that create anxiety and exhaustion due to constant scanning of the environment for a potential threat.
PTSD is commonly present with co-occurring depression, substance abuse, and traumatic brain injury. Using a combination of treatments may be effective due to the comorbidity of the disorder. There are some different approaches to PTSD treatment that can involve exposure therapy, psychotherapeutic methods such as cognitive behavior therapy, medication, or a combination of treatments. In a relevant new development, psychologists are using virtual reality to treat phobias. For example, veterans suffering from PTSD are being virtually exposed to computerized fear stimuli in a realistic but controlled fashion, where the patients re-experience their traumas (Motraghi et al., 2014; Riva, 2009 as cited in Coon & Mitterer, 2016). Coon and Mitterer also suggest that successive exposures can result in mitigation of PTSD symptoms. An alternative approach to desensitize those fears is the use of Medical Marijuana, and by combining existing therapies with the use of Medical Marijuana may turn out to be the most successful path to managing PTSD (Coon & Mitterer, 2016). However, more research on PTSD treatments needs to be done to determine which therapy method is of greater benefit to each patient.
PTSD is a severely debilitating mental health disorder that may develop following exposure to extreme trauma. Any person who has been victimized or has witnessed a violent act, or who has repeatedly been exposed to life-threatening situations is at risk for developing PTSD. It often occurs with depression, substance abuse, or other anxiety disorders. Trauma survivors who have been diagnosed with PTSD may endure hardships with trust, closeness, communication, and problem-solving, which can affect their relationship with spouses, family and close friends. Identifying the disorder and seeking appropriate medical care is of utmost importance for the patient to live a healthful life, including mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Future research and studies might benefit from the inclusion of a combination of treatments due to the comorbidity of the disorder.
...(download the rest of the essay above)