Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) results from a traumatic, often life-threatening, event. It is common among people with eating disorders and those who have served in the military. It also may affect those who have witnessed or been affected by natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents or acts of violence, such as rape.

Individuals with PTSD often relive their experience through nightmares or flashbacks. As a result, they have difficulty sleeping and feel emotionally detached.

PTSD affects men and women, adults and children, and people at all socioeconomic levels and in all cultural groups. Approximately 5% of men and 10% of women have the disorder.

Medical Impact of PTSD
Headaches, gastrointestinal problems, dizziness, chest pain, a weakened immune system and discomfort in various body parts are common among those with PTSD. Other medical complications may result from co-occurring disorders.

Signs of PTSD
Individuals with PTSD are unable to function well in social or family situations. They frequently have difficulty holding a job, and may have marital problems and find parenting difficult.

Individuals with PTSD have an increased likelihood of other psychiatric disorders, including drug or alcohol addiction, eating disorders or depression.

Causes of PTSD
PTSD is common among those who have a traumatic experience. It occurs often in those who have to deal with abnormal levels of stress, who have been raped or abused, or who have grown up in a social setting that makes them feel guilty or ashamed. Genetics is believed to have an impact relating to a chemical imbalance in the brain.

People with PTSD typically have abnormal levels of key hormones that affect how they respond to stress. Thyroid function is enhanced and a chemical imbalance occurs that is the opposite of that found in people with depression.

Treatment
PTSD is treated using psychotherapy and drug therapy. Exposure therapy, in which the patient is repeatedly exposed to a simulated traumatic event in a controlled setting, has been especially effective. Drugs that are also used for anxiety and depression are typically used to treat PTSD.