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POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER. What is PTSD?. PTSD is an anxiety disorder that some people get after seeing or living through a dangerous event . The normal “fight or flight” response is changed so some people may feel scared or stressed, even when the danger has passed. What causes PTSD?.

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POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

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  1. POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

  2. What is PTSD? • PTSD is an anxiety disorder that some people get after seeing or living through a dangerous event. • The normal “fight or flight” response is changed so some people may feel scared or stressed, even when the danger has passed.

  3. What causes PTSD? • Traumatic events in a person’s life such as: • War • Terrorist attack • Prison • Rape • Domestic abuse • Natural disaster

  4. Signs and Symptoms of PTSD • There are three main categories of symptoms • Reliving the event • Avoidance and numbing • Arousal

  5. Reliving the Event • Affects day to day activities: • Flashbacks • Nightmares • Reactions to an uncomfortable situation that reminds the person of the trauma • Distressing recurrent images, thoughts or perceptions of the event

  6. Avoidance and Numbing • Avoiding reminders of the event • Thoughts, feelings or conversations • Activities, places or people • Decreased interest • Feeling detached • Restricted emotional state

  7. Increased arousal • Increased physiological and mental arousal (requires 2 or more of the following): • Sleep difficulty • Irritability or anger • Impaired concentration • Hypervigilance (increased watchfulness for any situation that may remind the person of the event) • Increased startle response

  8. Other Symptoms • Guilty feelings such as survivor guilt • Agitation • Dizziness • Fainting • Palpitations • Headache

  9. PTSD • Symptoms must be present for at least 30 days to be classified as PTSD • At least 1 re-living experience • At least 3 avoidance episodes • At least 2 arousal episodes • Other symptoms that impair daily life • Less than 30 days is considered ASD (acute stress disorder)

  10. Treatment • Psychotherapy and medications are both used as treatment for PTSD • Desensitization • Group therapy • Support groups • SSRIs • Other anti anxiety medications

  11. PTSD • PTSD can be complicated by other factors • Alcohol abuse • Depression • Other mental issues • Panic attack

  12. PTSD • Good prognosis is expected if: • Early diagnosis • Prompt treatment • Good support • Group therapy • Family support

  13. National Institute of Mental Health • National Institute of Mental Health • Science Writing, Press & Dissemination Branch • 6001 Executive Boulevard • Room 8184, MSC 9663 • Bethesda, MD 20892–9663 • Phone: 301–443–4513 or • 1–866–615–NIMH (6464) toll-free • TTY: 301–443–8431 • TTY: 866–415–8051 toll-free • FAX: 301–443–4279 • E-mail: nimhinfo@nih.gov • Web site: http://www.nimh.nih.gov

  14. References • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001923/ • http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml • Michael J Murphy, Ronald L Cowan, Lloyd I Sederer, Blueprints Psychiatry, 5th ed. Wolters Kluwer, 2009

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