Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a complex
health condition that can develop in response to a traumatic experience –
a life-threatening or extremely distressing situation that causes a person
to feel intense fear, horror or a sense of helplessness. Most survivors of
trauma return to normal given a little time. However, some people will have
stress reactions that do not go away on their own, or may even get worse
over time. These individuals may develop PTSD. People who suffer from PTSD
often relive the experience through nightmares and flashbacks, have
difficulty sleeping, and feel detached or estranged, and these symptoms can
be severe enough and last long enough to significantly impair the person's
daily life.
PTSD is marked by clear biological changes
as well as psychological symptoms. PTSD is complicated by the fact that it
frequently occurs in conjunction with related disorders such as depression,
substance abuse, problems of memory and cognition, and other problems of
physical and mental health. The disorder is also associated with impairment
of the person's ability to function in social or family life, including
occupational instability, marital problems and divorces, family discord,
and difficulties in parenting.
PTSD is treated by a variety of forms of
psychotherapy (talk therapy) and drug therapy. There is no definitive
treatment, but some treatments appear to be quite promising, especially
cognitive-behavioral therapy, group therapy, and exposure therapy.
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