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FACTS on Posttraumatic
Stress Syndrome
What is Posttraumatic Stress
Disorder?
- Psychological symptoms resulting from experiencing, witnessing or
participating in an overwhelmingly traumatic event
- Referred to as shell
shock, battle fatigue, accident neurosis and post rape syndrome
Who is affected by PTSD?
- Up to 10% of the population
- Strikes more females than males
- Can occur with children as well
What are the Symptoms of PTSD?
Intrusive Symptoms
- "Re-experience" of
the trauma
- This usually occurs in
nightmares
- Sometimes comes as a sudden,
painful onslaught of emotions that seem to have no cause
Symptoms of Avoidance
Person avoids close emotional
ties with family, colleagues and friends
At first, person had
diminished emotions and can complete only routine, mechanical activities
Avoid situations that are
reminders of the traumatic event because the symptoms may worsen
Symptoms of Hyperarousal
May have trouble
concentrating or remembering current information
May develop insomnia
Children may develop
stomachaches and headaches, in addition to symptoms of increased arousal
Associated Features
Rid themselves of their
"re-experience" by abusing alcohol or other drugs as a
"self-medication"
May show poor control over
his or her impulses
May be at risk for suicide
How can PTSD be treated?
- Behavior Therapy
– focuses on correcting the PTSD sufferer’s painful and intrusive patterns
of behavior and thought by teaching him or her relaxation techniques, and
examining his or her mental processes
- Psychodynamic psychotherapy
– helps the individual examine personal values and how behavior and
experience during the traumatic event violated them. Goal is resolution of the
conscious and unconscious conflicts that were thus created
– therapist can work to bring about the change within the family
- Therapy involving discussion
groups or peer-counseling groups
– encourages survivors of similar traumatic event to share their experiences
and reactions to them. Group members help each other realize that many people
would have done the same thing and felt the same emotions
- Antidepressant medications
– are particularly helpful along with psychotherapy
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