Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

What is PTSD?

PTSD is posttraumatic stress disorder which is an anxiety disorder that can occur after a traumatic event. Traumatic event is something horrible and frightening that one either saw or experienced. Any life-threatening event can lead to PTSD:

-          Military exposure

-          Sexual or physical abuse or assault

-          Terrorist attacks

-          Serious accidents (Natural disaster, etc)

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of PTSD can occur suddenly, gradually or temporarily. The three main types of symptoms are:

-          Re-experiencing the traumatic event

-          Avoiding reminders of trauma

-          Increased anxiety and emotional arousal

Other common symptoms are PTSD includes:

-          Anger, irritability

-          Guilt, shame, or self-blame

-          Substance abuse

-          Mistrust and betrayal

-          Depression

-          Suicidal force and feelings

-          Physical aches and pains

What causes PTSD?

Traumatic events are more likely to cause PTSD when they involve a threat to one’s life or safety. Other risk factors for PTSD include:

-          Previous traumatic experiences (physical abuse, substance abuse, mental illness, stress)

-          Family history of PTSD

Briefly explain how memory and emotion relate to PTSD.