Essays on Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can develop after a person has experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as an accident, physical assault, war combat, or natural disaster. It may also be caused by ongoing stress from everyday life situations like bullying and abuse. Symptoms often include flashbacks of the traumatic event, intrusive thoughts about the event, avoidance of reminders of the trauma, emotional numbing, hyperarousal to stimuli related to the trauma, depression and social isolation. Treatment typically involves talking therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychodynamic psychotherapy in combination with medications like antidepressants or anti-anxiety drugs.People who experience PTSD often face long-term effects that can last for months or years after their initial exposure to the traumatic event(s). These symptoms may include nightmares; difficulty sleeping; irritability; feeling easily startled; difficulty concentrating; recurring memories of the event; and avoiding people places and activities which might trigger memories associated with it. People diagnosed with PTSD are more likely than those without it to suffer from chronic health conditions including heart disease diabetes hypertension obesity asthma cancer depression addiction substance abuse and suicide attempts. While there is no single treatment approach for every individual diagnosed with PTSD there are many strategies available that can help manage these symptoms over time including: Exposure Therapy Cognitive Processing Therapy Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing Prolonged Exposure Therapy Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Dialectical Behavior Therapy Mindfulness Meditation Support Groups Medication And Relaxation Techniques such As Yoga Tai Chi And Qigong Exercise Art Or Music Therapies Herbal Remedies Aromatherapy Biofeedback Psychotherapy And Hypnosis Spiritual Practices Such As Prayer Or Guided Imagery It’s important to recognize that although some individuals will experience post-traumatic stress disorder immediately following a traumatic incident many others will not have any symptoms right away but instead develop them weeks months even years later.