Post Traumatic Stress Disorder 6/2010
What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a psychiatric disorder that can occur following the experience or witnessing of life-threatening events like:
- Military combat
- Natural disasters
- Terrorist incidents
- Serious accidents
- Violent personal assaults like rape.
How are people affected by PTSD?
PTSD is marked by clear biological changes as well as psychological symptoms. People who suffer from PTSD often relive the experience through nightmares and flashbacks, have difficulty sleeping, and feel detached or estranged, and these symptoms can be severe enough and last long enough to significantly impair the person’s daily life.
How does PTSD develop?
Most people who are exposed to a traumatic, stressful event experience some of the symptoms of PTSD in the days and weeks following exposure. The course of chronic PTSD usually involves periods of increased symptoms followed by remission or a decrease in symptoms. Some individuals may experience symptoms that are unremitting and severe. Some older veterans, who report a lifetime of only mild symptoms, experience significant increases in symptoms following retirement, severe medical illness in themselves or their spouses, or reminders of their military service (such as reunions or media broadcasts of the anniversaries of war events).
How common is PTSD?
An estimated 7.8 percent of Americans will experience PTSD at some point in their lives. Women are twice as likely as men to develop PTSD. About 3.6 percent of U.S. adults aged 18 to 54 (5.2 million people) have PTSD during the course of a given year. About 30 percent of the men and women who have spent time in war zones experience PTSD. An additional 20 to 25 percent have had partial PTSD at some point in their lives.
Who is most likely to develop PTSD?
The traumatic events most often associated with PTSD for men are rape, combat exposure, childhood neglect, and childhood physical abuse. The most traumatic events for women are rape, sexual molestation, physical attack, being threatened with a weapon, and childhood physical abuse.
How is PTSD treated?
PTSD is treated by a variety of forms of psychotherapy and drug therapy. There is no definitive treatment, or cure. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, group therapy, and exposure therapy treatments appear to be quite promising. Studies have also shown that medications help ease associated symptoms of depression and anxiety and help with sleep.
How can I get help?
Contact your primary health care professional for assistance with PTSD. If you do not have health coverage or you have Medicaid, contact the 2-1-1 Idaho CareLine for help finding low cost medical or Medicaid options in your area. Dial 2-1-1 or 1-800-926-2588.