Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

By
Peter Straubinger

Period 1, Group #3
Mr. Cyrek
 Post traumatic stress disorder (or PTSD) is a relatively common, yet often

misunderstood, psychological condition. Resulting from exposure to traumatic incidents,

PTSD is often an umbrella over a wider array of psychological disorders. While in the

past PTSD has been incorrectly named, underestimated, or simply misdiagnosed, public

awareness of the affliction has grown greatly in the recent past.

PTSD has existed under various names for literally millennia. The earliest known

case of psychological distress was in 1900 B.C., when an Egyptian physician described a

“hysterical” reaction to trauma. Since then, the illness has passed through many forms.

“Railway Spine”, also known as “Erichsen’s disease” was a malady found in train

passengers who were involved in railroad accidents. Originally attributed to the fact that

the body could not handle the “excessive speeds” of the trains, the disease was later

found to have a purely psychological cause. Infantrymen in the Civil War were struck

with “Soldier’s Heart” or “Da Costa’s Syndrome”. Those who fought in World War I

returned with the now famously-named “shell shock”, while veterans of World War II had

“combat fatigue”. The first true PTSD diagnosis was relatively recent, appearing in the

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1980. This often made finding

treatment for sufferers of the condition difficult, as the disease was for a long time

“nonexistent”.

Given that it is such a complicated medical problem, PTSD can present itself with

an array of varied symptoms. These will often include aggressiveness, restlessness,

aggression, disassociation, depression and nightmares. In addition, memory loss has been

present in some patients, usually of the traumatic event. The many symptoms of PTSD

can best be classified in “clusters”:

 Intrusion: So named due to the fact that the traumatic event will trigger

“intrusions” onto the patient. Flashbacks and nightmares occur, wherein the patient re-

experiences the event, often quite graphically. These re-experiences are often coupled

with high levels of anxiety.

Hyperarousal: Characterized by the patient going into a state of preparedness for

“fight or flight”. The patient will seem jumpy or easily startled, especially in conjunction

with high-pitched sounds or loud noises.

Avoidance: Due to the distressing nature of the intrusive and hyperarousal

symptoms, the sufferer will attempt to avoid contact with all things and people, their own

thoughts included. This is due to the fact that their minds may recall the traumatic

experience and thus prompt the intrusive and hyperarousal states. The patient’s aim is

isolation and detachment, often known as “numbing”.

Disassociation: Similar to avoidance, patients attempt to depersonalize or

derealize events or individuals associated with the trauma. This disconnection often leads

to the individual seeming to be “in another world”. In extreme cases, disassociation can

lead to multiple personality disorders or “lost time”.

While the various clusters of symptoms seem widely varied, they all have a

common theme; they are all either results or responses to an afflicted individual’s

inability to process trauma emotionally or cognitively. While the intrusion and

hyperarousal seem to result from this failure to cope, avoidance and disassociation are

methods in which the patient tries to “cut off” the distress of the traumatic incident.

Those most commonly afflicted by PTSD are soldiers or other survivors of

military action. This is understandably so, as the horrors of war inflict unspeakable
trauma upon those who experience them. As stated above, each war had its own unique

terms regarding PTSD and PTSD-like symptoms, demonstrating that it is a recurring

issue. This is not to say, however, that battle is the only way in which one can acquire

PTSD. Regrettably, children are also major sufferers of PTSD-related disorders. Physical,

emotional, and sexual abuse can all prompt the development of psychological distress, as

can prolonged or extreme neglect. There are also other, less malicious ways in which

PTSD is acquired; serious accidents (such as car crashes), natural disasters, extreme

medical complications or incarceration can all prompt PTSD. In addition, the number of

cancer patients developing PTSD has been shown to be growing, as well as children of

cancer patients.

Treatment for PTSD is divided between psychotherapy and drug therapy. There

are a number of psychotherapeutic methods of treatment, such as cognitive-behavioral

therapy and group therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy is based on modifying everyday

thoughts and behaviors, in the hope that this will in turn influence emotions. Practices

involved with this treatment include keeping diaries of events and associated thoughts or

feelings, as well as questioning habits, thoughts and behaviors that may be unhelpful,

unrealistic or overly distressing. The better-known group therapy focuses on healing

through interaction with others. Often, the members of a therapy group will share similar

maladies, with the exception of a present moderator or therapist. Group therapy’s benefits

include the ability to reflect on events or feelings in a social setting, as well as the support

of others combined with the security that comes with confidentiality. However, neither

form of therapy will be ultimately helpful If the sufferer is unable to come to terms with

their trauma in a nondamaging fashion.

 While previously misunderstood, the increased attention that PTSD receives due

to such organizations as the National Center for PTSD (affiliated with the US Department

of Veterans Affairs) and multitudes of organizations devoted to assisting traumatized

children will help to increase awareness of the illness and develop treatment to combat it.

Many sufferers are now able to think, feel and interact normally and without the burden

that trauma previously laid upon their lives.