Post Traumatic Stress

Disorder
(PTSD)
Not all wounds are visible
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What is PTSD? The war within

An anxiety disorder developed after a
traumatic event
Characterized by;
- haunting memories
- nightmares
- social withdrawal
-jumpy anxiety,and/or insomnia
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What causes PTSD?

Traumatic events -natural
can cause PTSD disasters(fire,
Such as; tornado, hurricane,
- Combat exposure flood,earthquake)
-sexual/physical
assault
-serious accidents
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How does it develop?

Only some people who experience a traumatic event will develop PTSD over
time.
Whether or not you get PTSD depends on many things:
How intense and how long the trauma was.
If you were injured or lost someone
How close you were to the event
How strong your reaction was
How much you felt in control of events
How much help & support you got after the event
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Other problems people may have from PTSD

People who suffer from PTSD may also have other

problems like the following;
Feelings of hopelessness, shame, or despair
Depression or anxiety
Drinking/drug problems
Physical symptoms(chronic pain)
Employment problems
Relationship problems(divorce)
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Signs & Symptoms

1. Re-experiencing Symptoms: 3. Hyperarousal Symptoms:
Flashbacks where the trauma is REPLAYED Being startled easily
comes w/ physical symptoms(racing heart Feeling tense/on the edge
, sweating) Having difficulty sleeping
nightmares, frightening thoughts angry outburst
2. Avoidance Symptoms:
Staying away from places/events/objects
that remind you of the traumatic
experience
Avoid talking about event
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Treatments
There are 2 MAIN types of treatment
1. Psychotherapy(counseling)talk therapy -involves
meeting with a therapist.There are different types of
psychotherapy.

2. Medication -a substance used for medical treatment

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Different types of psychotherapy:

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) -the most effective treatment for PTSD.

1. Exposure therapy. Helps people face and control their fear.Exposes them to the trauma they
experienced in a safe way.

2. Cognitive restructuring. Helps people make sense of the bad memories. Sometimes people
remember the event differently than how it happened.

3. Stress inoculation training. Tries to reduce PTSD symptoms by teaching how to reduce
anxiety.This treatment helps people look at their memories in a healthy way.
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Medication
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two medications
for treating adults with PTSD:

sertraline (Zoloft)
paroxetine (Paxil)
Both medications are antidepressants, help control PTSD symptoms such
as sadness, worry, anger, and feeling numb inside.
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Children w/ PTSD
Children also experience ptsd
New phobias and anxieties that seem
In children especially the very young symptoms of PTSD
unrelated to the trauma (such as a fear of
can be different than those of the adults. Symptoms in
monsters)
children include:
Acting out the trauma through play, stories,
Fear of being separated from parent
or drawings
Losing previously-acquired skills (toilet
Aches and pains with no apparent cause
training)
Irritability and aggression
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Whos at risk?
PTSD affects 7.7 million American adults
Women are more likely to develop PTSD than men
Anyone can get PTSD at any age.
This includes war veterans & survivors of physical and sexual assault, abuse, accidents,
disasters, and many other serious events.
Not everyone with PTSD has been through a dangerous event. Some people get PTSD after a
friend or family member experiences danger or is harmed. Sudden, unexpected death of a
loved one can also cause PTSD.
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Diagnosis
To be diagnosed with PTSD, a person must have all of the following for at least 1 month:

At least one re-experiencing symptom

At least three avoidance symptoms
At least two hyperarousal symptoms
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Science Behind it
Brain Areas
Its thought that some of the problems people with PTSD experience happen in the
hippocampus.

Some studies suggest that experiencing stress repeatedly may damage the hippocampus.

When we experience stress, a hormone called cortisol is released It helps to mobilizing the
body during a stressful event
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Myth vs. Fact
Myth
PTSD is only for veterans.
People can move on in their
lives right away.
People get PTSD immediately
after a traumatic event.
Only people who are weak are
diagnosed.
PTSD is all in your head, not
even real.
Fact
Women are more likely to get it than
men.
Affects anyone at any age.
PTSD changes functioning of the
brain.
You don't have to be physically
harmed to get PTSD.
PTSD is more common than you
might think
PTSD doesnt discriminate based on
age, sex, or racial/ethnic background
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Statistics
20% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans General PTSD stats:
have PTSD
50% of those soldiers with PTSD do
not seek treatment 70% of adults in the U.S. have
experienced a traumatic event at
least once in their lives(223.4mil)
An estimated 8% of Americans(24.4
million people) have PTSD
An estimated 1 out of 10 women
develops PTSD, women are about
twice as likely as men.