They will sometimes have flashbacks where they will fall into their own world and relive images, and sounds from the trauma. Because of their extreme anxiety and distress from the event, they will try to avoid anything that would happen to remind them of it. They may seem emotionally numb, detached, irritable, and easily startled. They may feel guilty about surviving a traumatic event that killed other people because they now think that they should have done something. Other symptoms include trouble concentrating, depression, and sleep difficulties.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder caused by experiencing or witnessing a really traumatic, tragic, or terrifying event. Those who suffer from PTSD can have persistent and frightening thoughts and memories of what they have been through and can end up feeling emotionally numb, especially with people they are close to. Seeing things that remind the individual of the incident may cause them to be very distressed, which leads them to avoid certain places or situations that brings the memories back, anniversaries of the event can also bring back memories and are often very difficult (psychcentral). Statistics from the Department of Veterans Affairs show that 9 out of 11 Veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan get diagnosed with PTSD. That is almost 30 percent out of the 834,463 Veterans that are treated at V.A.
High levels of stress can cause hyperarousal, a cluster of PTSD symptoms, causing insomnia. Additionally, feeling emotionally hopeless or depressed has the same effect (Saisan, Smith, Robinson, Segal, 2013, p. 3). It can be thoughts of suicide or sadness that lingers around your mind that causes one to be unable to sleep. Stress from traumatic events can also lead to a variety of sleep problems. Traumatic events can cause insomnia because when the body is overstimulated, the brain is filled with chemicals that keeps us awake.
Along with having abnormal REM sleep, hallucinations, sleep paralysis and cataplexy might occur. Loss of muscle control, which is caused by strong emotions such as crying may also be referred to as Cataplexy. Each person’s symptoms vary due to their emotional state. Hallucinations are also common symptoms that people are diagnosed with Narcolepsy which make them believe to have vivid visual or auditory sensations upon falling asleep or waking up. Another symptom that people suffering from Narcolepsy is sleep paralysis.
People with PTSD begin to avoid thoughts, people, or places that remind them of a traumatic event (Posttraumatic). They may feel numb to emotions or suffer from guilt or depression. Another symptom of PTSD is hyper arousal. After a person faces a traumatic event they seem a bit “on -edge”. They can be easily startled and have difficulty sleeping (Post-traumatic).
Many people suffer from bad dreams, often referred to as nightmares, every night. It is not uncommon to experience fright filled slumber from time to time, but some people are inclined to suffer more often than an occasional bad dream. While some mental health professionals believe nightmares reduce mental tensions by allowing the mind to act out its fears, new research suggests that bad dreams are more likely to increase anxiety in everyday life. In addition to life’s anxieties, what other factors contribute to nightmares and why? Startled awake, hardly aware of reality, heart racing and drenched in sweat, people who suffer from nightmares are deeply affected by not being able to sleep in peace.
There are a number of different ways to diagnose PTSD. The three main categories professionals use for this are; “intrusive symptoms, avoidance symptoms, and arousal symptoms.” (Soldiers’ Mental Health) Intrusive symptoms are those that disrupt a person’s normal everyday life. For example, flashbacks, which are the most disturbing symptoms of PTSD, can be triggered by sights, sounds, smells or feelings. Other intrusive symptoms are nightmares and distress when the event is mentioned. Avoidance symptoms involve trying to escape dealing with the ordeal, such as; trying to refrain yourself from thinking or feeling anything about the trauma, inability to remember the event, and having a sense that the past is approaching quickly.
A panic attack is triggered through the presence of the abuser or the thought of an argument taking into effect. In comparison to physical abuse, the victim tends to look for excuses for the abuser. The victim then takes on the blame for the reason behind the abuse. It is unhealthy for the victim to think that it is their fault for getting hit, slapped, choked, or pushed. Due to all the physical damage the victims have endured, they develop sleep insomnia.
The symptoms include nightmares and other forms of re-experiencing the traumatic event, avoidance of situations and activities that arouse memories of the event, emotional numbness and detachment, pessimism, sleep problems, impulsive anger, jumpiness, and difficulty in concentration. There are many symptoms but there are also many affects to the functioning of an individual. The functioning defects can send an individual into crisis. Memory loss is common a... ... middle of paper ... ...ishes on treatment options. This disorder is typically not fatal however; it has the potential to severely damage someone’s very existence.
When a body is in a heightened state of stimulation for an extended length of time it can have negative affects. The effects of PTSD include but are not limited to flashbacks, emotional detachment, jumpiness, nightmares, avoidance or social withdrawal, depression, irritability and anxiety; these are the most common in adults. Helplessness, fear, confusion, guilt, repetitious traumatic play, preoccupation with danger, regression, rebellion, worry, and life threatening re-enactment are just a few symptoms in children (Post-Traumatic Stress…, 2009, para. 16, 18 & 19). Unfortunately many people affected by PTSD are also diagnosed with other disorder... ... middle of paper ... ...y 28: 439-446 PTSD more prevalent post 9/11?