Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Overview What is PTSD? Signs and Symptoms Treatment Statistics Communication Summary

What causes PTSD? Child Abuse or Domestic Abuse Violent Attacks Disasters Accidents Military Combat - Posttraumatic stress disorder[1][2] (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to one or more terrifying events in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened.[3] It is a severe and ongoing emotional reaction to an extreme psychological trauma.[4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-traumatic_stress_disorder) -Provide information to the public to create awareness around PTSD Violent attacks: rape, robbery, bullying

Signs of PTSD Easily Startled Nightmares Difficulty Concentrating Difficulty Sleeping Feelings of Emotional Numbness Less Interest in Usual Activities

Treatment of PTSD Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Medications CBT: therapist helps you understand and change how you think about your trauma and its aftermath Exposure Therapy: your goal is to have less fear about your memories EMDR: New kind of therapy; While talking about your memories, you'll focus on distractions like eye movements, hand taps, and sounds. For example, your therapist will move his or her hand near your face, and you'll follow this movement with your eyes. Medications: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a type of antidepressant medicine. These can help you feel less sad and worried. They appear to be helpful, and for some people they are very effective. SSRIs include citalopram (Celexa), fluoxetine (such as Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft). http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/ncdocs/fact_shts/fs_treatmentforptsd.html

Statistics World War II Korea Vietnam Afghanistan Iraq WWII: 1 out of 20 Korea: as many as 30% Vietnam: 15.2% of all males; 8.1 % of women; 161,000 veterans are receiving disability compensation Afghanistan: 18% suffer from a psychological disorder appox. 183 w/ PTSD Iraq: 20% psycological disorder; appox. 12,500 veterans are receiving treatment for PTSD alone; 8-10% of women suffer from PTSD that served in Iraq (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/06/22/MNGJ7DCKR71.DTL&type=health)

Communication Keeping silent in a war zone is a common practice Talking to friends, family, therapist, writing Self talk Taking a communication class; reading the same book at the same time with some one you care about http://www.vietnow.com/pagesptsd/ptsdeggshells.htm