Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

PTSD has many different symptoms and can affect a variety of different people in many different ways. Some people have different views of this disorder than others and this can make this situation a little more difficult to understand why or how PTSD is such a problem. Some may think that PTSD is just mental, while others think that it can cause physical injury.

      “Posttraumatic stress disorder is more common among those with chronic daily headache and episodic migraine than among the general population” (Elliott, Para 1). Studies are saying that those with this disorder have a greater disability linked to head pain. “We need to take seriously that abuse and traumatic events can really impact your health” (Peterlin, Para 2). Researchers and doctors reported that roughly 42% of individuals with some type of headache disorder had been exposed to some type of abuse.

      While some think that PTSD is just either a physical disorder, others think that there is more to this disorder.  “The cause of PTSD is unknown, but psychological, genetic, and social factors are involved” (Bisson, Para 4). Studies say that PTSD affects the stress hormones and chemicals that deliver information between the nerves. This disorder is causing individuals to re-live their past and at some times deliver flashbacks to the mind.  

Victoria Stagg Elliott. Patients With Migrain More Likely to Have PTSD. 2009. Web. 24 April 2011. <http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/04/20/hlsc0421.htm>

Andrew J Bisson. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. 2010. Web. 24 April 2011. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001923/>

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

            The expert interviews I chose to pursue on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder entails a phone interview and a personal interview. For my phone interview, I chose to call a particular place that I knew would be a good contestant for this topic, the VA. For my second interview, I chose to conduct a personal interview with an individual who graduated with a Major in Psychology.

            The first interview I did was over the phone with a VA representative by the name of Sherri Robetelli. After a very in-depth conversation with Sherri, my outlook over this disorder changed. “PTSD is a huge factor to military personnel and will continue as long as the war is taking place” (Robetelli). Robetelli states that “most individuals who are diagnosed with PTSD do not recover until many years down the road”. She also quotes that “some individuals are able to successfully recuperate while others may live with this forever” (Robetelli).

            After my personal interview with Krista Rosso, a college graduate from UNT with a major in Psychology, she states many of the same facts and opinions about this topic. “Any type of psychological disorder can be hard on any person. After my studies and interactions with certain people who have encountered a traumatic experience, my understanding about the emotional stress that these individuals go through is far more than what I expected” (Rosso). Rosso states that this disorder should never be over-looked and should be treated in the early stages if possible.

Robetelli, Sherri. Telephone interview. 19 April 2011.

Rosso, Krista. Personal interview. 20 April 2011.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Posttraumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD, is “an emotional illness that is classified as an anxiety disorder and usually develops as a result of a terribly frightening, life-threatening, or otherwise highly unsafe experience”; Dr. Roxanne Dryden-Edwards quotes in her article titled “Posttraumatic Stress Disorder”.  Unfortunately, several people experience this life-altering disorder and suffer from the sensitivity it causes in their every day lives.  “PTSD has only been recognized as a formal diagnosis since 1980” (Dryden-Edwards, Para 1).  In the past 30 years, this disorder has been diagnosed to people of all ages.

       Numerous doctors and psychologists have attempted to figure out the cause and effect of this serious disorder.  Dr. Dryden-Edwards states that “virtually any trauma that severely compromises the physical or emotional well-being of an individual or causes intense fear may cause PTSD”.  Trauma could include possible events such as “witnessing a severe accident or physical injury, receiving a life-threatening medical diagnosis, being the victim of kidnapping or torture, exposure to war combat or to a natural disaster, terrorist attack or being the victim of either rape or robbery” (Dryden-Edwards, Para 2).  Dr. Harold Cohen suggests in his article “What Cause PTSD?” that “PTSD focuses primarily on the way that the mind is affected by traumatic experiences”.  Theorists speculate that “the mind is unable to process information and feelings in a normal way” (Cohen, Para 1).  Today some psychologists advocate the idea that “pre-traumatic psychological factors, for example, low self-esteem, may make the problem worse” (Cohen, Para 2). 

      According to Dr. Dryden-Edwards and Dr. Cohen, PTSD is a psychological disorder that impairs the brain and prohibits the sufferer from living a normal life.  Research has focused on the neurochemicals that may be involved in PTSD.  Scientists today are still studying the brain and are continuing to explore the various causes and effects of this devastating disorder.

     

Cohen, Harold. “What Causes PTSD?” 8 April 2006. Web. 10 April 2011.                      <http://psychcentral.com/lib/2006/what-causes-ptsd/>

Dryden-Edwards, Roxanne. “PTSD.” 10 April 2010. Web. 10 April 2011.

      <https://www.medicinenet.com/article/posttraumatic_stress_disorder/article.htm>

 

     

Introduction

As we all know, America is fighting a war with a brutal and horrifying country.  Some of the men and women that are taking place in this war see some disturbing and terrifying footage of some of the events that take place over there.  Sometimes after returning from the war, some individuals may leave all of this behind but often these images of stuck in the heads of many soldiers and cause a problem known as PTSD.  Trauma is defined as a "disordered psychic or behavioral state resulting from severe mental or emotional stress or physical injury" (Merriam-Webster, Para 2).  Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a problem that many men and women have after returning from a war zone.  This can also be found in individuals who have encountered any type of traumatic event like a car accident.  This research will be a great learning experience for everyone and will be very interesting to learn more about and understand what some individuals have to live with everyday.  It can be very hard for someone to admit or come out and say that they are diagnosed with this terrible ordeal.  That being said, most individuals will not come out and say they have this so even ones best friend or neighbor could be living with PTSD and one would not even suspect it or know they have it.  This research blog will contain research and facts for treatments of PTSD, symptoms, signs of how to detect, examples, diagnosis procedures, and counseling options.

Merriam-Webster: Trauma. 2011. Web. 03 April 2011. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ptsd?show=0&t=1301939954