Name(s)

Case Report
Disease

Summary Symptoms

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental Before diagnosed:

health condition thats triggered by an event that Symptoms begin within three
terrifies the patient. Its a relatively common mental months
disorder especially when faced with traumatic or Can cause great distress
severely shocking events. Often in these cases, Disrupts work or home life
people experience persistent thoughts and memories While diagnosed:
of the ordeal, and they also can become very Nightmares
emotionally numb because of every terrifying Flashbacks
moment that occurs. Avoids situations that are a
reminder of the event
May avoid crowds, because
they feel dangerous.
Negative changes in beliefs
and feelings

History

In 1952 the American Psychiatric Association created the first Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-I), which
included something called the Gross Stress Reaction which was a diagnosis for people with symptoms from a
traumatic event such as disaster or combat. Furthermore, it was thought that the reactions to this trauma would be
resolved rather quickly. DSM-II was updated once again a couple years later and PTSD was included in it as well. It
was commonly understood then, as an Adjustment to adult life and was limited to three examples of trauma: fear
linked to military combat, unwanted pregnancy with suicidal thoughts, and Ganser Syndrome in prisoners who were
facing a death sentence. DSM-III was updated in 1980 and stemmed from research that involved returning Vietnam
War veterans, Holocaust survivors, sexual trauma victims and others. In DSM-III it was concluded that a traumatic
event was thought as a catalytic stressor that was outside the range of humans usual fear experience. Because the
framers of the original PTSD diagnosis had in mind events such as war, torture, rape, the Holocaust, atomic
bombings, natural disasters(earthquakes, volcanic eruptions etc.) and human disasters (factory explosions, airplane
crashes etc.) It was considered that ordinary stressors such as divorce, serious illness, and failure, were characterised as
Adjustment Disorders rather than PTSD.

Affected Ages Frequency

PTSD can occur at any age, even during childhood

Research

Changes in Treatment
Statistics
Citations
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml
https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/ptsd-overview/ptsd-overview.asp
https://psychcentral.com/lib/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/home/ovc-203085