PTSD was first brought to public attention in relation to war veterans, but it can result from a variety of traumatic incidents, such as mugging, rape, torture, being kidnapped or held captive, child abuse, car accidents, train wrecks, plane crashes, bombings, or natural disasters such as floods or earthquakes.
People with PTSD may startle easily, become emotionally numb (especially in relation to people with whom they used to be close), lose interest in things they used to enjoy, have trouble feeling affectionate, be irritable, become more aggressive, or even become violent. They avoid situations that remind them of the original incident, and anniversaries of the incident are often very difficult. PTSD symptoms seem to be worse if the event that triggered them was deliberately initiated by another person, as in a mugging or a kidnapping.
Most people with PTSD repeatedly relive the trauma in their thoughts during the day and in nightmares when they sleep. These are called flashbacks. Flashbacks may consist of images, sounds, smells, or feelings, and are often triggered by ordinary occurrences, such as a door slamming or a car backfiring on the street. A person having a flashback may lose touch with reality and believe that the traumatic incident is happening all over again.
Certain kinds of medication and certain kinds of psychotherapy usually treat the symptoms of PTSD very effectively.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that is a reaction to a traumatic event. Suffering through or witnessing the event causes symptoms of fear, terror, and powerlessness. Avoiding situations or thoughts that are a reminder of the trauma is common. Conversations and activities that could trigger a memory are also avoided.
This content originally appeared on doctoroz.com
PTSD is a serious disorder where, after some type of traumatic event (combat, natural disaster, abuse, etc.) involving the threat of injury or death, the person can suffer from a debilitating anxiety disorder that involves:
• a heightened sense of awareness (for example insomnia)
• reliving the event (for example nightmares)
• avoidance of things that remind them of the event (for example the bedroom)
• guilt about their survival
- Being a victim of or seeing violence
- Being a victim of sexual or physical abuse or assault
- The death or serious illness of a loved one
- Fighting in a war
- A severe car crash or a plane crash
- Hurricanes, tornadoes, and fires
This answer is based on source information from the National Women's Health Information Center.
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