POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

Barry B. Benson

This a project for a high school AP Psychology course. This is a fictionalized account of having a psychological ailment. For questions about this blog project or its content please email the teacher, Laura Astorian: laura.astorian@cobbk12.org

WHAT IS IT? Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Anxiety disorder Caused by a traumatic event or experience Triggered by stimuli similar to the traumatic incident Can impair day to day activities Causes anxiety, flashbacks, strong emotions

WHAT CAN CAUSE IT? War Events Personal Assault Natural Disasters Accidents Life-threatening illness Abuse during childhood

HOW DOES THE CAUSE LEAD TO THE EFFECT? The original event stays in your brain as a memory

When a similar stimulus is present, it activates the memory

The memory is reimagined possibly, in the form of a flashback

WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS? Thoughts relating to the traumatic experience

Nightmares Vivid flashbacks Lack of sleep Disturbances throughout the day

Inability to perform day to day activities

HOW IS THE BRAIN AFFECTED? Can increase the stress response

Decreased verbal memory

Gaps in memory of own life

Decrease in branching of neurons

Changes in norepinephrine levels

STATISTICS 7.7 million Americans older than 18 have PTSD 67% of people exposed to violence have developed PTSD 7% of Americans will develop PTSD Fewer number of children develop this disorder in their young ages due to lack of traumatic experiences for most children

57.4% of people with PTSD are receiving treatment

STATISTICS (CON.) 245 soldiers committed suicide due to PTSD in 2009

11-20 percent of veterans returning from the Afghanistan and Iraq war have PTSD

Only half of the general population with PTSD will seek medical attention

WHAT ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PTSD? Acute- the symptoms are present for less than three months Chronic- the symptoms are present for three months or longer Delayed Onset- the symptoms arise six months or more after the traumatic incident

PSYCHOLOGIST FINDINGS Many psychologists believe that PTSD is over diagnosed due to the widening interpretation of trauma

Most veterans and political dissidents who have survived torture have not later exhibited PTSD

Debriefing survivors immediately after trauma has shown negative effects on the individual

The number of women with PTSD is higher due to higher chances of sexual assault in their life

PSYCHOLOGIST FINDINGS (CON.) Peter Suedfeld Documented the resilience of Holocaust survivors

-Most lived successful lives The success of Asians who escaped war and moved to America made Suedfeld believe that “What doesn’t kill you may reveal to you just how strong you really are.”

Richard Tedeschi and Lawrence Calhoun Suffering can lead to post-traumatic growth Struggling experiences lead to an increased appreciation for life

-This idea is familiar to religious beliefs

TREATMENT OPTIONS Antidepressants treat some symptoms including numbness, worry, and possible depression

Antidepressants can not help with the disorder itself

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) can elevate mood

Therapy is the main solution to try to help and fix the anxiety disorder

My problems began after I finished fighting in Afghanistan. We were under constant pressure to keep the citizens back in the U.S.A safe. I was on the front line for most of my time in Afghanistan, while watching gunshots hit the soldiers in my unit. I still remember those moments vividly although I try to forget them.

When I hear a loud noise, it makes me feel as if I am back at war. My first reaction is to take cover from the possibility of a bombing. We were taught since day one how to react to a threat of bombs. This is why I can’t go anywhere alone.

The few days that I get sleep are full of nightmares. My nightmares are about being alone in an unknown country. Sometimes I wake up confused and disoriented. Most of the time I can’t get to sleep anyways.

Now that I am retired, I don’t usually leave the house. When I do leave the house, I always take someone with me just in case I have a vivid flashback in the middle of doing something. I prefer someone to be with me because this happens very often. After the flashbacks, I am usually disoriented and dizzy. This is why I can’t drive.

I began getting depressive symptoms soon after I returned from Afghanistan. My doctor did not believe that I had PTSD because the other symptoms weren’t as obvious. He gave me antidepressants for my symptoms but I told him about my lack of sleep, nightmares, dizziness, and flashbacks and then he diagnosed me with PTSD.

My disorder tends to affect me the most when I am alone and have lots of free time. This is when I begin to think of the war. The flashbacks usually start when I think about my past and this has negative effects on me. I can’t stop thinking about it unless someone distracts me and sometimes I get very sad from thinking about it. Then I have to take my antidepressants.

I started therapy a couple of days ago. It has been slightly helpful. It has been easier with the antidepressants my doctor gave me. They don’t treat my disorder but they treat my symptoms. Having a therapist also helps because it helps me talk to someone who really understands what I’m going through.

When a stimulus reminds me of a war, I become hyperaware of my surroundings. Then after the stimulus settles in, I begin to get confused. My hyperawareness is caused by the high level of attention needed while fighting on the front lines. My doctor believes that I begin to get confused because I am expecting an event to occur.