Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Question: How does post traumatic stress disorder effect war veterans? i have to write a paper on post traumatic stress disorder, and how it impacts iraq and vietnam veterans. so i really nee some help looking for articles, and some ideas,okay so please help me out guys

Answer: well first off, everyone can get post traumatic stress from anything, its all mental, and i have it to be honest. Its not something you can control and its not something that is left unnoticed. You often catch yourself going through random flashbacks of a stressful situation. like I've noticed that when Im playing a video game, doesnt matter which game, but i was playing it and all of a sudden i was thinking about the stressful time that caused the post traumatic stress. and its like you re-live it temporarily, but some time had gone by because i had died on my game and my little sister had come in and asked me what i was doing. it causes bad dreams and makes you want to not sleep. depending on how bad it is. it just overall isnt something that is tolerable for very long

Question: What are the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? What are the symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder and how do they differ from the symptoms of just stress? What can be done to help someone heal over PTSD?

Answer: Some basic symptoms: effort to avoid thoughts or feelings associated with trauma. efforts to avoid activities arouse recollection of trauma inability to recall an important aspect of event markedly diminished interest in significant activities feelings of detachment from others restricted range of affects increased startle reflex increased dreams of like events intense psychological distress at exposure to events that symbolize or resemble an aspect of event. There are several good sites to look up Mental health issues. One being NAMI.org and then looking up diagnosis. Or Mental Health America.net And as far as counseling you need to look for someone with experience with PTSD. and yes many people live good productive lives. Feel Free to email me if you'd like to chat. God Bless Reggie

Question: Sleeping with post traumatic stress disorder how can I help? My boyfriend has post traumatic stress disorder from being abused as a child by his mother and father. He relives the moments as he sleeps, constantly twitching and moving. What is the best way for me to help him wake up without harming him or myself?

Answer: has he asked you to wake him up? is he having nightmares? my husband had PTSD after his tour in iraq, and he wanted me to wake him because often he was having nightmares. sadly, when i would wake him he often would be so confused he would slip right back into sleep and the dream. there were a few times when i tried to wake him he lunged at me (never hurting me). i found the best way was to touch his arm very gently (but firmly) and to say his name very lovingly. if he didn't wake, i would start to rub his arm slowly but with pressure. there were a few nights when he didn't wake, but this seemed to soothe him to stop twitching or calling out. the thing that helped the MOST was therapy. google EMDR and tell your boyfriend about it. it is a simple method that used in therapy helps you to process faster and more completely the things you need to work through. he would have to find a psychologist who is trained and who uses EMDR. it actually helped my husband to have his diagnosis of PTSD removed.

Question: Why do people with post-traumatic stress disorder have a hard time in relationships? If you have Ptsd and have a hard time in relationships tell me what you have done to help solve this problem. Please only answer if you are a Psychologist or a someone that has gone threw post-traumatic stress disorder.

Answer: Probably because of mood changes. A lot of people don't want to be patient enough to tolerate ups and downs of someone that has PTSD. Many with PTSD have depression, they can also be happy but at times they get very down and many withdraw. It's hard to feel close to someone who withdraws emotionally or "shuts down". The best thing to do it to find someone who is understanding of this and who also understands that when you do have those low moments or moments of withdrawal, it's not permanent, your mood will go back up. They just have to give you your space during those moments. I think it's also very important for ones with PTSD to get help through therapy. That can help stabilize moods. The therapist can work with you to be able to avoid shutting down. When a person shuts down, it makes the other person in the relationship feel helpless and many people can't stand feeling helpless so they get angry or irritated and then lash out at the person who is already suffering because of something horrible that happened to them in the past. It's sad. But there are people out there who understand!

Question: What's the difference between bipolar and post traumatic stress disorder? If you read my questions I post, you can tell that it's post traumatic stress disorder. Don't tell me you diagosis, but what the difference is, please. I go through mad abuse.

Answer: Bipolar disorder is a bio-chemically caused mental disorder that often results in episodes of mania and dpression in varied degrees of length and intensity...altho it hasn't been proven it tends to run in families therefore there may be a genetic connection... Post-traumatic stress disorder is the result of an event or situation that the sufferer has experienced, lived thru...etc. It is not genetic in nature....it is in response to an emotionally traumatic experience..... racing thoughts.....insomnia....reduced inhibitions....rapid speech...thoughts that everthing is interconnected such as seeing obscure 'patterns' when patterns to things and situations are not there...promiscuity.....outrageous spending sprees.....these are some of the symptoms of mania....it can progress into halucinations and paranoia if not treated......

Question: My husband suffers from post traumatic stress disorder. He is a train driver and someone jumped in front of? his train, he also found a body on the line. The doctor diagnosed him with post traumatic stress disorder, can he claim personal injury compensation? We live in England I can't decide on a best answer as they were all very helpful, thank you to everyone for your answers.

Answer: If both people were dead it will be pretty difficult since there is no one to sue. Personal injury comp is basically suing the other person for injuries you receive because of them.

Question: Can post traumatic stress disorder lead to suicide? I'm writing a story. Can post traumatic stress disorder lead to suicide? And if so, what would one act like shortly before the suicide? The cause of the PTSD for the character is seeing the love of his life brutally murdered in front of him.

Answer: There is evidence that traumatic events such as sexual abuse, combat trauma, rape, and domestic violence generally increase a person’s suicide risk. Multiple factors contribute to suicide risk in veterans. Some of the most common factors are listed below: male gender alcohol abuse family history of suicide older age poor social-environmental support (exemplified by homelessness and unmarried status) possession of firearms the presence of medical and psychiatric conditions (including combat-related PTSD) associated with suicide

Question: How do I know if I have post traumatic stress disorder? I've researched my "ailments" and think I have self diagnosed my self with post traumatic stress disorder, how would I know for sure?

Answer: If there been any trauma in your life that brothers you all the time

Question: Is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder more common in a certain age group? Is there an age when you are more prone to developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? and why?

Answer: These is not really an established age group where post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops. PTSD can develop at any age, including childhood, but research has shown that the median age of onset is around 23 years. Researches have found that it is more common in migraine sufferers and during adulthood. However there are certain events where people are more prone to developing PTSD. Whether someone reacts to an event with a post-traumatic stress disorder is largely dependent on the severity of the event, or stressor, itself. Sexual assault, for one, is more likely to produce PTSD than other horrible experiences. The disorder also frequently occurs after violent personal assaults such as rape, mugging, or domestic violence; terrorism; natural or human-caused disasters; and accidents. For example, some studies have found that PTSD develops in about: 1 in 5 fire-fighters. 1 in 3 teenager survivors of car crashes. 1 in 2 female rape victims. 2 in 3 prisoners of war. Hope this helps! :)

Question: How to deal with post traumatic stress disorder? Is there a way to deal/cure post traumatic stress disorder myself? I don't have any money or insurance to talk to a lets say counselor, nor do I really think that going to a shrink would be a good idea. I read online and am sure I have PTSD and I know exactly what caused it. There's no way to avoid situations that trigger memories. I can't lock myself up all day/night. What can I do? Are there any free support groups?

Answer: You can get some useful information from: http://www.healthmedicalinformation.com/… All the best

Question: What are some vietnam movies/other works that show post traumatic stress disorder in soldiers? I need some work/ art to compare with actual accounts of post traumatic stress disorder. Does anyone have any good movies/ or other works that I can use. Thank you.

Answer: Rambo - First Blood. It is an older movie, but it shows first hand what that stress can do to you and what happens when it overwhelms you.

Question: Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and how to deal with it? What are the some symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and how to deal with it?

Answer: The general answer is there are lots of symptoms and most are pretty unpleasant: trouble sleeping, trouble staying asleep, over-reactive responses to noises or unexpected things around you, irritability and stress, physical problems that don't seem to make sense (you're not sick, but you have chronic digestive problems; your heart is OK but you have palpitations and weird beats), obsessive thinking, crying, exhaustion despite getting rest, sleepwalking, bad dreams, night terrors, anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, paranoia, picking huge fights for reasons you can't figure out, depression, aggression, inability to concentrate, hopelessness, and other things. For an individual person, it depends on what the trauma is/was that sets up this reaction. If it was childhood abuse, for example, you make have one set of symptoms; if rape, another set; if you were in the military, you will probably have another set of symptoms related to things you saw or experienced. Lots of things help to treat it, but you need to have some expert guidance. Good therapy by someone who knows how to treat PTSD is hugely valuable. If you are near a VA hospital for instance, you might ask their psych department if they can recommend a therapist in the community who can specifically evaluate you and offer treatment. Some medications are excellent (especially for relief from anxiety or trouble sleeping). Sometimes meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, tai-chi will give you techniques to help manage symptoms, when they arise, that aren't particularly severe. Sometimes learning self-defense is helpful, if you felt powerless or victimized. Under some circumstances, bio-feedback has helped patients; sometimes actively imagining and working through the traumatic situation (only with the help of a therapist) - working out mentally what would be a better outcome - will help. There is some research that suggests that if you take a painkiller very soon after the traumatic event, it becomes less psychologically stressful to you in the long run ( experiments have been done with both mrophine and tylenol). PTSD can be very, very painful to yourself and people around you. The best answer is get some expert advice!

Question: How do I deal with sever post traumatic stress disorder? My husband just retired from the US Army and was diagnosed with sever post traumatic stress disorder. A lot of our soldiers are coming home with this. His mood swings are really, really bad. We have been married for ten years and I love him with all my heart so I won't leave him. I just need to know if anyone can give me some pointers on dealing with this or something that might have worked for them. It is not an easy thing to deal with.

Answer: This requires professional help. He needs to talk to a psychologist and begin therapy immediately or it can become worse. You may want to see one as well in order to understand his condition and to talk about the effects it is having on you. This condition is just as hard on loved ones as it is on the person effected. Please remember that he has been through a lot, and seen things most of us can not even imagine.. This is just his brains way of coping. Try not to take it personally. Rely on the support of your family and friends. It will take time but this can be treated successfully. Good luck.

Question: What is better a better treatment therapy or Medicine for post traumatic stress disorder? What are the pros and cons for therapy and for medicine when dealing with post traumatic stress disorder?

Answer: It depends on where the person is at. If they are experiencing really bad symptoms and a tremendous amount of anxiety you probably want to try medication in conjunction with therapy. The meds will take the edge off and you will be better able to work through the underlying issues. Meds alone will not help much, because you have left the underlying issues unaddressed and they will get worse over time so the meds will become less effective.

Question: How to deal with post traumatic stress disorder in kids? I have post traumatic stress disorder from child abuse. How do kids deal with this and other information. I also know someone with this that is 8 years old too.

Answer: Hi, sorry to hear you have been abused, so have I. I am older now and in time life does get better. You need to get away from the abuse first, you can report it to a school counselor. You can also go to a school counselor or doctor to help you get through it. Has anyone taken yout to a counselor. They can give you ideas for your age to help you deal with the abuse issues. Like reading a funny book or participating in a dance class, writing a journal of how you feel, to let out some of the fear, there are games they play in counseling to help you build your self-esteem and trust. Mostly you need someone professional to guide you and your friend. If this is not possible you can call childrens and families to report the abuse or emergency 911. If you are still being abused you need for it to stop so you can get better...if the abuse has stopped you need an adult counselor who can walk you through the activities and support to help you understand the abuse was not your fault and make a plan to have ready if your ever in danger again. Like someone to call and come get you, emergency 911, pack a bag of stuff so if you have to leave in a hurry your prepared, this being done will help you too. Get some help from the people around you who can help and stay strong, you will get well with time.----my prayers are with you-melissa

Question: What would be a rhetorical question regarding post-traumatic stress disorder? i need help thinking of questions that will promote discussion regarding post-traumatic stress disorder, any suggestions?

Answer: What events in life merit the stress factor needed to cause PTSD? Are women more susceptible? At what age does a child's suseptibility to PTSD begin to decline? What types of personalities fall victim to pstd the most? Is there a genetic factor? What coping mechanisims keep a very suseptle person from falling victim?

Question: Can post traumatic stress disorder symptoms show years after the event that caused them? I am working on a story, however I was wondering do people sometimes show symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder months or years after what ever caused it happened? In this time can they be completely fine? Example, they see something that reminds them of what happened and it just crashes them into a depression? Thanks a lot. :)

Answer: Yes..... I was severely abused as a child starting when I was 5..... I still have flashbacks and I am 45 now. I have always had flashbacks though - and I have DID so it's a little different than PTSD (though technically I have that too)... Some people repress memories and do not even remember the event for years (or ever).. they can have flashbacks after recovering the memories or they can even have flashbacks without even remembering the event.... a child that was raped but supresses the event, may not remember it but may still become severely depressed or emotional when faced with anything that could connect with the event. PTSD is not necessarily just flashbacks... PTSD can also be a complete lack of emotion concerning an event.... the emotions are just too painful so the mind turns them off completely.... women can talk about a rape in perfect detail and not feel a single emotions about it.... this doesn't usually hold forever and eventually breaks down but this would be an easy way to explain why someone would seem to be fine abotu something for a long time then fall apart about it.

Question: Do post traumatic stress disorder victims hurt other people? I know a lot about post traumatic stress disorder. I am just curious if the person who does have (p.t.s.d) post traumatic stress disorder will hurt anybody else when they are reminded of the event.

Answer: Yes, it also hurts their loved ones, because they go through the same pain that the person with ptsd goes through.

Question: How will the veterans of the War in Iraq get proper medical treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? How will our government assure that the veterans of this war will get proper medical attention for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (i.e Shell Shock)? Will the veterans of this war be ignored like far to many Vietnam Veterans did when they returned from their war? What politician running for the 2008 election has an answer for that question?

Answer: they'll get the care they need until a year or 2 after the war...then the ones who sent them there will whine that they're abusing the system like welfare mothers and take all the benefits away

Question: Can people be very shy and quiet because they have Post-traumatic stress disorder? I am extremely guarded, shy, and quiet. I don't talk that much in classes where I don't know people, I but talk with my close friends. I suffered some psychological trauma in my life and I have post-traumatic stress disorder. I get really nervous in class when I think I might get called on to answer a question. Right now I have an air cast and I'm using crutches and I just hate how people always look at me.

Answer: I think you have social phobia or social anxiety