Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - What It Is And How To Deal With It
Post traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD, occurs following some sort of life-threatening event such as military combat, terrorist attacks or personal assaults. People can suffer from PTSD both from experiencing the event themselves or by witnessing it occur to someone else.
Most people coping with anxiety return to normal after a short time following one of these stressful events. Some people's reaction doesn't go away and can even get worse as time goes on. If the reaction is not dealt with properly, it can develop into post traumatic stress.
People suffering from PTSD will often relive the event through flashbacks or nightmares and they may feel detached from their surroundings and have difficulty sleeping properly. These symptoms can become serious enough that the person's day to day activities are affected.
Post traumatic stress is not entirely psychological - there are biological changes that have been identified to be part of the disorder. It is often made worse by the fact that it often happens along with related problems such as depression, memory problems, and substance abuse.
People suffering from PTSD are often unable to function properly socially or in their family life. They may be faced with problems in their work, their marriage or their parenting skills.
How Is PTSD Treated?
There are several forms of anxiety treatments for post traumatic stress. These include a number of forms of psychotherapy including cognitive-behavioral therapy, group therapy and exposure therapy.
Exposure therapy has the person suffering from PTSD relive the experience repeatedly, under controlled conditions. This allows them to work through the trauma that has led to the stress disorder.
There are also drug treatments available for post traumatic stress. The most commonly used are drugs such as Prozac and Zoloft. These medications have been shown to ease depression and anxiety - common symptoms of PTSD - and help the patient get better sleep.
The most effective treatment seems to be cognitive-behavioral therapy - more effective than drug treatments which often just mask the underlying problem. Drug trials are in their early stages, however, so it is still too soon to know definitively what type of treatment is most effective.
Anyone who is exhibiting any of the symptoms of PTSD should consult with their doctor. They will be able to determine whether it is in fact PTSD, as well as suggest the best treatment plan for the particular situation.
