Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

The key to a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the stressor that brought it about. The causal event or events must have been a serious threat to the patient or a significant other person, either experienced directly or, in some cases, learned about without warning. PTSD may also occur following repeated traumatic events, as in war. Many kinds of events can produce the experiences that lead to PTSD: rapes, robberies, viewing dead bodies, physical attacks, injury accidents, kidnappings, refugee experiences, and terrorist attacks are some examples. The person's response to the event or events must include extreme fear, with its associated physiological changes (rapid heart beat, cold sweat, etc.). At the time of the diagnosis, the person must have experienced one of these qualifying events and physiological responses at some time in the past. He or she must also have had disturbing symptoms of three types for at least a month. At least one symptom must involve some kind of re-experiencing of the traumatic event or events; possibilities include intrusive recollections of the situation, distressing dreams about it, feeling that the event is recurring, feeling distress at experiencing cues connected to the experience, or physiological reactions to similar cues. A second type of symptom is persistent avoidance of any reminder of the situation, together with numbing of general responsiveness. This type could also be indicated by an inability to recall some important aspect of the trauma. The third type of symptom is persistent symptoms of arousal; examples include difficulty sleeping, outbursts of anger, difficulty concentrating, hypervigilance, and exaggerated startle responses. Finally, as usual, the disorder must cause significant distress in some area of functioning.

If you or someone you love has PTSD, you may find relief if you consult a mental health professional (clinician, therapist). A mental health professional  will conduct a thorough evaluation  to first understand what is happening and then will discuss treatment options, including medications.

There are many ways family members or loved ones can help individuals to deal with their disorder better. There are also some promising new therapies for PTSD.

Read a book on the subject:  

Anxiety & Phobia Workbook by Edmund J. Bourne

Anxiety, Phobias, and Panic : A Step-By-Step Program for Regaining Control of Your Life by Reneau Z. Peurifoy

Or, you may want to try an audiocassette by a recognized leader in the field of guided-imagery:   Healing Trauma : Guided Imagery for Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD) by Belleruth Naparstek

Read a related book:

The Courage to Heal  by Ellen Bass and Laura Davis

Visit a web site on PTSD.

Visit a web site for victims of sexual assault.

                                                                                                                                Last updated  12/19/03