Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may develop after experiencing various traumas - such as a car accident, death of a loved one, but also participation in military operations. Symptoms - which significantly affect the functioning of the patient - may show up even several months after the occurrence of a stressful situation. So what symptoms may appear in the course of PTSD? What are the causes of this individual and how is it treated?

Post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) was clearly distinguished in medical classifications only in the 1970s. with him ailments appeared in various positions. As evidence, Odysseus, who experienced recurring memories of the wars in which he participated, can be cited. PTSD, however, was experienced not only by literary heroes, but also by the authors themselves - in the 19th century Charles Dickens was a participant in a railway accident, after which memories of the crash probably haunted him for the rest of his life.

It's no wonder that post-traumatic stress disorder could have been with mankind from the very beginning. After all, various stressful, traumatic events could have happened at any really time. Nowadays, the problem is well known to medics. It is known that it can occur in any age group, and women struggle more often than men with PTSD. The causes of post-traumatic stress disorder have also been discovered.

Causes of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Generally speaking, PTSD can be caused by various, extremely stressful, traumatic, unusual events that exceed a person's ability to deal with them. So it is impossible to clearly list here all possible causes of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Just as one person can cope with an event better, another person in the same situation may be a little worse off and may eventually develop PTSD.

Post-traumatic stress disorder is typically associated with the experience of a very strong trauma and indeed - it can happen, for example :

  • in frontline soldiers,
  • in victims of sexual violence
  • or participants and witnesses of some accidents, e.g. car or train accidents.

PTSD can also occur after a diagnosis of an extremely serious disease or after the death of a loved one (especially if the death was violent or related to a child).

Risk factors for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

There are some known risk factors for post-traumatic stress disorder. They include mainly:

  • growing up in a dysfunctional family,
  • prior childhood trauma experience,
  • occurrence of symptoms of personality disorders in the patient,
  • lack of support from the immediate environment,
  • significant life changes preceding the trauma (such as changing jobs, moving house).

Symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Patients may experience various types of ailments in the course of post-traumatic stress disorder. One of the most important problems in this case is reliving the experienced trauma.

PTSD patients have intrusive, unwanted thoughts about a traumatic event. They may experience nightmares related to trauma. The so-called flashbacks, which are colloquially referred to as flashes. During them, the patient has the impression that he is going through the whole traumatic event again.

Another pivotal problem with PTSD is avoidance. It deals with very different aspects of life. In general, however, a person with PTSD rather tries to avoid any stimuli or situations that remind them of the trauma.

For this reason, she may avoid certain people, places, or certain activities. In addition, it also happens that the patient - fearing the return of very heavy memories - will not want to talk to anyone about his trauma at all.

PTSD symptoms also include some cognitive dysfunction and mood disorders. It happens that patients do not remember the circumstances of the traumatic event. However, they also have thoughts that are inconsistent with reality about the cause of the trauma or its consequences. It is not uncommon to feel guilty, lower your self-esteem or blame yourself for the fact that the traumatic event happened at all.

In the course of post-traumatic stress disorder, it can also happenanhedonia (inability to feel happy) and depressed mood. Some patients experience dysphoria instead of depressed mood.

PTSD is associated with another type of ailments, such as, for example, sleep disorders or concentration disorders. Patients who develop PTSD are often irritable. It also happens that they easily get angry or react aggressively to various failures.

In people with PTSD anxiety, a state of "increased readiness" to escape in the event of a potential threat may be observed. There are also possible ailments of a somatic nature, the so-called somatic manifestations of anxiety, such as palpitations or headaches.

It is worth mentioning that the symptoms of PTSD in one patient may change their intensity over time. It happens that for some time a person experiences various ailments and over time their intensity decreases. However, after hearing about an event that is close to the trauma he experienced - the previously occurring symptoms return with the same or even greater intensity.

Considering the possible symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder described above, it is clear how complex the problem is. It should be added, however, that the consequences of PTSD - especially in the absence of treatment - can be extremely severe, both for the patient himself and for his immediate environment.

Consequences of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

In fact, the possible consequences of PTSD are fairly easy to imagine. It is worth paying attention to the avoidance of various situations related to the problem, through which the patient's family and professional life may suffer.

PTSD, however, also increases the risk of other mental disorders, including:

  • depressive disorders,
  • anxiety disorders
  • or eating disorders.

Another problem that is at increased risk for people with PTSD is substance abuse.

It is impossible not to mention the essentially greatest threat associated with an individual, which is suicide behavior.

With all of the above-mentioned problems, the importance of early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of PTSD is clearly visible.

Recognizing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

The diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder is done by psychiatrists . In order to make a diagnosis, it is necessary to collect a detailed interview and conduct an examinationmental state of the patient.

Among the diagnostic criteria for PTSD, one of the most important aspects is that an individual's symptoms should occur in connection with some specific, traumatic event.

It is worth mentioning here that usually various ailments appear some time after the trauma. This time can reach weeks or even several months,usually, however, symptoms of PTSD develop within 6 months of experiencing the traumatic event .

When PTSD is suspected, it is necessary to pay attention to other entities with whom this problem should be differentiated. First of all, it is necessary to differentiate it from acute stress reaction and adjustment disorders. In addition, the differential diagnosis should also include depressive disorders, anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorders.

It is also important to pay attention to whether the patient has "typical" PTSD, orcomplex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).To the latter problems can arise especially when the patient experiences not one, but many repeated traumas. As a consequence, he develops significantly more symptoms than PTSD resulting from a single trauma.

Treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

In the treatment of PTSD, the best results can be obtained by combining two types of interactions, which are psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy.

Trauma therapy is undoubtedly difficult and takes a long time. In addition, it is quite often difficult for patients to participate in it, if only because of the PTSD-related tendency to avoid re-experiencing the traumatic event.

In general, however, psychotherapy can bring tangible benefits. Among the interactions that are especially recommended for people with post-traumatic stress disorder, there are mainly exposure-based therapies, e.g. cognitive behavioral therapy.

The pharmacological treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder uses mainly antidepressants, such as :

  • fluoxetine,
  • sertralina
  • or venlafaxine.

The use of this type of medication can help patients, e.g. by improving their mood and drive, or reducing anxiety. Generally, however, only drugs alone will not make it possible to "work through" the trauma, therefore pharmacotherapy should complement psychotherapy.

In the case of PTSD, other methods are also used. Here you can even mention:

  • therapygroup,
  • eye movement desensitization therapy
  • or repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Category:

Psychiatry