Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Stress is an every-day aspect of our life. From day-to-day stressors such as raising children, dealing with careers, dealing with our significant others, driving in traffic, we are continually bombarded with actions and consequences that place stress in our lives. Many of us have come to accept these stressors as normal, and most of us have adapted, even though we may feel a need to "take it one day at a time". Yet, in extreme cases, such as wars or other traumatic experiences, dealing with these stressors becomes a life-long ordeal. Persons dealing with severe stress reactions from traumatic experiences, such as wars, long after the incident occurred, have what is called Post-traumatic stress disorder. This anxiety disorder, affecting not only current and past war veterans but also those that have been exposed to any traumatic life event, has been studied in depth and forms of treatment, from group therapy to drug therapy, have been used to treat the maladies associated with this disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder is defined as "the condition caused by extremely stressful experiences in which the person later experiences anxiety and irritability"(Lahey). In addition,
Treatment for PTSD ranges from humanistic psychotherapy treatments, such as group therapy, to the use of medical therapies, such as drug therapy. Another form of treatment is through the use of psychiatric drugs. " The website goes on to explain that persons suffering from this disorder have trouble sleeping and feel detached from the rest of society. With continual treatment and education regarding PTSD, persons suffering from this disorder will come to better deal with the consequences of having been exposed to traumatic events in their lives. Medicating patients suffering from PTSD is normally done to combat the symptoms normally associated with PTSD, such as anxiety, depression and insomnia. In addition, neurobiological changes, such as altered brainwave patterns, decreased volume of the hippocampus and abnormal activation of the amygdala (both involved with memory functions), and physiological changes, such as hyper-arousal of the sympathetic nervous system, increased sensitivity to the startle reflex and sleep abnormalities, can occur (www. Finally, more common ailments, such as gastrointestinal issues, immune system problems, dizziness, chest pain and discomfort in different parts of the body, are common, but normally are treated by doctors without relating the cause of the symptoms to PTSD (www. Although PTSD is sometimes misdiagnosed, continued education and awareness, not only within medical circles but also in everyday society, can allow for greater understanding and better treatment of this disorder. These drugs, although not a "cure-all" for PTSD, help relieve the symptoms associated with the disorder.
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