What is PTSD
PTSD is short for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It is an anxiety disorder caused by a traumatic event that was harmful to the person, or threatened harm to the person, or that the person witnessed. Some examples of these traumatic events include violent deaths, car accidents, rape, kidnapping, fires, bombs and combat.
With all the traumatic events our troops witness and experience during warfare, it is no surprise that so many of our troops suffer from PTSD. Our troops get shot at, they shoot back and they watch people die, then they have to deal with the bodies afterward. They get blown up by explosives. They get ambushed. It’s war they’re dealing with over there and it’s not pretty.
PTSD can vary in different people from mild to very severe. As of writing this, there is no way to know which individuals are more likely to develop PTSD than others because it doesn’t discriminate. Anyone can get it regardless of religion, race, gender, age or background. Anywhere, at anytime.
The effects of PTSD
Aside from avoiding any potentially traumatic events (which is nearly impossible, even for Bubble Boy) there is nothing you can do to prevent PTSD from happening to you.
Symptoms usually begin within three months of the traumatic event, but sometimes it can be years before symptoms emerge. PTSD symptoms can last anywhere from a month to many years.
These symptoms typically snowball into further complications such as domestic violence, recklessness, marital issues, drug abuse and more. People suffering from PTSD may develop addictions to alcohol, drugs, adrenaline, pornography, etc. as a way to cope with their feelings or as a way to escape them.
Getting diagnosed with PTSD
According to the DSM-5, to be diagnosed with PTSD, a person must have all of the following for at least 1 month:
- One or more “re-experiencing” symptoms
- Three or more “avoidance” symptoms.
- Two or more “hyperarousal” symptoms.
- Other symptoms that make it hard to go about daily life, go to school or work, be with friends, and take care of important tasks
Re-experiencing Symptoms
- upsetting memories
- jumpiness, startling easily
- nightmares, often reliving the trauma
- flashbacks, often triggered by sights, smells, sounds
- sleeplessness, insomnia
- depression, thoughts of suicide
- feeling loss of identity
- on high-alert all the time, scanning for threats
- feeling stuck, frozen, trapped
Hyperarousal Symptoms
- irritability
- jumpiness, startling easily
- on high-alert all the time, scanning for threats
- feeling stuck, frozen, trapped
Avoidance Symptoms
- avoid situations that trigger memories
- they try to distract themselves
- difficult to be in touch with feelings
- emotional distance from people you were close to before
- may isolate from others
- emotionally “numb”
- feeling loss of identity
- forgetting important parts of, or unable to talk about, the event
Other Symptoms
- conduct disorder
- impaired social skills
- substance abuse
- difficulty functioning
- troubled relationships
Resources to help Navigate PTSD
Medications And Drug Safety
Chad died of multiple drug toxicity, also known as CDI. He had 12 different prescriptions for sleep and anxiety.
Blindly throwing prescriptions at victims of PTSD and depression is a bad idea. There are many treatment methods that should be considered besides pills.
Suicide Symptoms And Treatments
Suicidal thoughts are a clear indication that something is seriously wrong in a person’s life.
No matter the race or age of the person; how rich or poor they are, it is true that most people who die by suicide have a mental or emotional disorder.
Treatment Facilities
Treatment of PTSD usually involves talking about your feelings openly and honestly in group therapy sessions with other people who feel the same as you.
We are always looking for more facilities and programs that can help. We will list them here as we find them.
Alternative treatment methods
Some of the drugs prescribed for PTSD can be very powerful. Other options can include;
And more. Because of the wide range of symptoms and other issues that go hand in hand with PTSD, a person who suffers from PTSD needs to be treated as a whole, not just for PTSD.