Outline
What is it?
PTSD, or post traumatic disorder, is a mental health disorder where the brain is triggered to a terrifying, shocking, or dangerous experience or event, also known as trauma.
Signs & Symptoms
According to Mayo clinic, there can be 4 kinds of symptoms related to PTSD. These include re-experiencing the event, avoidance, cognitive, and reactivity.
Re-experiencing Symptoms Some individuals with PTD may “relive” their experience. They can come in the presence of a recurring flashback or nightmare.
Avoidance This is when some individuals with PTSD avoid going to places, certain people, or anything that reminds them of their event to avoid ever having to rethink about it.
Cognitive This is when some individuals have negative perceptions of themselves or the world, and as a result, they have a hard time trusting others and may struggle to find happiness.
Hyperarousal This is when some constantly experience the symptoms of being stressed, angry, or are easily startled. Because of their symptoms, they can start making good choices such as smoking. In addition, these symptoms can come as early as 3 months, or come up many years after the trauma.
Causes
PTSD is a result of trauma. As mentioned by Healthline, this[trauma] can consist of military combat, sexual or physical assault, abuse, natural disasters, sever injury, terrorism, life threatening illness, witnessing violence or death.
How do these experiences affect the brain to result in PTSD? When PTSD individuals are thinking about their trauma, their brain responds to it as a threat or, “danger mode.”
As a result, stress hormones are released which results in one being super alerted. This explains the cause for the symptoms that some experience, and it is also important because PTSD individuals are like this constantly due to the constant recurrence of their trauma. The following image, by Yale University, presents an image comparing the brain of a PTSD and normal individual.
Treatments
PTSD has been known to be curable, and it often takes time for one to overcome it. Depending on every individual, treatment can vary. However, here are some things that can be done for treatment.
The first thing someone with PTSD can do is Approach therapy, especially since it is more focused towards mental health. Therapy can help manage the trauma one is experiencing by teaching skills as to how to manage them. They can also help one overcome the trauma by helping them understand that the event was out of their control and that they aren’t to blame themselves for it.
An example as to how a therapist can help in managing your symptoms is by helping in breathing techniques.
Furthermore, medications are available to these individuals. They can help one stop having recurring flashbacks or nightmares to ease some of the disorder. Some medications that are provided, as mentioned by WebMD, include: Fluoxetine, Paroxetine, Sertraline, and Venlafaxine.
In addition, these are medications that have been approved by the FDA for managing these symptoms. There are also some medications, not approved by the FDA, that can also help with the symptoms, but have to be recommended by one’s physician. These include: Antidepressants, Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors, Beta-blockers, and Benzodiazepines.
Sources
Tags: #mentalhealth
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