...Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Abstract Posttraumatic stress disorder is a common and disabling disorder that develops as a consequence of traumatic events and is characterized by distressing re-experiencing portions of the trauma, avoidance of reminders, emotional numbing and hyper-arousal. In spite of the deleterious impact of PTSD within the U.S. military, our current understanding of the human pathophysiology governing the divergent paths associated with extreme stress response the remains unabated. Given the widespread phenomenon of ‘trauma’, it begs the question of whether or not preexisting features accompany some suffers who have developed PTSD and why others may or may not face the same effect. Much research has been conducted in this arena and it seems that no one researcher has a definitive cause, much less a standardized treatment approach for PTSD sufferers. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops as a consequence of traumatic events such as interpersonal violence, disaster, severe accidents, or other life-threatening experiences. The most common characteristics of PTSD are the re-experiencing of symptoms linked to a specific event. Patients involuntary re-experience aspects of the traumatic event in a very vivid and distressing way. This includes: flashbacks, in which the person acts or feels as if the event were recurring, nightmares, intrusive images or other sensory impressions from the event. For example...
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...Acute Stress Disorder Brett D. Klawitter Liberty University Abstract Acute Stress Disorder or ASD is a phenomenon that happens during or shortly after a traumatic event. It can affect people in many different ways but it is usually debilitating for up to one month. There has been controversy and stigma attached to the diagnosis of ASD since it was first added to the DSM-IV. This paper will illustrate the definition of ASD, the diagnostic guidelines, the difference between ASD and Acute Stress Reaction (ASR), symptoms and effective treatments, the impact of ASD and the coping skills needed to successfully get through it, and a biblical story and perspective about stress disorders. What is ASD and is it an appropriate response to trauma? Key words: Acute Stress Disorder, Acute Stress Response, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, DSM-IV, DSM-V, Symptoms, Treatment, God Acute Stress Disorder Introduction Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) was introduced in the DSM-IV as a way to describe reactions a short time after a traumatic event, usually within the first month and possible precursor to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). ASD is the official diagnosis to evaluate the Acute Stress Response (ASR) but there are some differences. ASD is defined as symptoms that manifest during the time period of two days to four weeks after a traumatic event. There has been some changes to ASD as the DSM has been updated in the past year to DSM-V. Also it is important to mention that ASD is...
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...P Post traumatic stress disorder is a term that many people are familiar with. We hear this on the news or read about it the newspaper from time to time. Post traumatic stress disorder or PTSD for short is often included in conversations discussing people who have survived some sort of life threatening danger or trauma. the generalized definition of post traumatic stress disorder is, “an anxiety disorder some people get after seeing or living through a dangerous event.” The purpose of this paper is to give a more in-depth definition of post traumatic stress disorder by examining the definitions that professionals in the psychology and psychiatry field have developed as well as the symptoms, or requirements a person must have in order to truly be diagnosed with PTSD. The purpose of my research is to find the reason that soldiers who have served in wars are often diagnosed with PTSD. There is a vast amount of information and studies on the subject of PTSD, with each professional developing their own definition. The National Institute of Mental Health Defines post traumatic stress disorder as a common anxiety disorder that develops after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. They go on to say that family members and friends of the person involved in the trauma can also experience PTSD. In order to truly be aware of what post traumatic stress syndrome is, it is important to understand what symptoms or factors the person...
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...came back from war and he didn’t come back the same”. My cousin went through two tours of Iraq between the time of 2007-2009 and before that he had two years of training. In total he spent six years with the military before retiring; He had issues transitioning from a marine infantry soldier to normal civilian life and I observed and wondered what was wrong with him. The reason I chose this article was because this was an in depth-review of post-traumatic disorder at the time of 2007, which was around time the time my cousin enlisted to the marines. My goal was to see if his PTSD could have been prevented if he had done some research before enlisting into the military. This article Occupational Medicine: Post-traumatic Stress Disorder had and overall in-depth information regarding post-traumatic disorder and the information I felt was necessary for the education of others about PTSD. Article Summary The article by Jonathan J. Bisson “Occupational Medicine” (2007) an in-depth review of general post-traumatic stress disorder which Identifies what are the causes, which is anyone who has had a traumatizing experience the symptoms as Bisson explains: In order to satisfy...
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...Traumatic Stress Disorder Aria Hospital School of Nursing Abstract Post traumatic stress disorder is a severe anxiety disorder that affects “5 million people each year,” (Valente, 2010). PTSD effects more women than, with approximately 58% of at risk individuals including combat veterans. If left untreated, PTSD leaves those affected with quality of life issues, social interactions, daily functioning, and psychological issues. Over the years, there has been an increase in the awareness of post traumatic stress, and the impact of its diagnosis, (Bastien, 2010). Treatment relies on a multidimensional approach, including supportive patient education, cognitive therapy, and psychopharmacology. This paper will review PTSD, including clinical manifestations, diagnosis, medical and nursing management and community resources available to those affected by this disease. Description of Disease “Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder with a sustained and dysfunctional emotional reaction to a traumatic event, threat of injury or death, and pain,” (Valente, 2010). A traumatic event can be military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents, or physical or sexual assault. Most people who are exposed to a traumatic event will have stress reactions for the immediate days or weeks following the incident, however with some time will be able to deal with the event and return to normal. However, some people will have stress reactions...
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...distress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Both active duty and reserve component soldiers who have fought in the war (i.e. experienced combat) have been exposed to high levels of traumatic stress. As a consequence, many have gone on to develop a wide range of mental health problems such as PTSD. “According to researchers, PTSD is a long-term reaction to war-zone exposure that can last up to a few minutes, hours, several weeks, and for some a lifetime.” Common symptoms include: emotional numbing, anxiety, feelings of guilt, and depression. If the disorder turns chronic veterans may experience functional impairment (Friedman, M. J. et al., 1994, p. 265).” PTSD is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders from veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. In general, the younger veterans are the more likely they are to develop PTSD when deployed. Deployment related issues from veterans may have a devastating impact on their relationships back home. “Numerous research studies have linked PTSD to family relationship problems (Goff, Crow, Reisberg, &ump; Hamilton, 2006).” PTSD is likely to be “the” contributor to relationship problems that are not related to deployments. Spouses or partners of veterans who are diagnosed with PTSD are at greater risk of hostility and aggression in their relationship than spouses whose veterans are not diagnosed. To combat this direction and effective coping skills have been shown to improve adjustment, stress management, and problem solving...
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...Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Student’s Name: Institutional affiliation: Case study Jake is a 45 year old male who has served as an active military soldier in the government for more than twenty years. In his twenty years of service, he has been deployed several times to war torn countries like Afghanistan. Over the years he got promoted to a Warrant Officer1. This put him in a position where younger service men looked up to him for strength and leadership skills. He was doing fine until six months ago when he started displaying signs of post-traumatic stress disorder. Jake claims to have seen some horrifying details during his time of service but he knew that was all part of his job description. One incident that is still deeply embedded in his mind is when he saw a horrifying incident of his closest friend and comrade being completely blown up by a grenade. Another incident he recalls vividly is when his unit went into one of the small villages in Afghanistan just after insurgents had left. The insurgents wanted to set to set a good example to people who were thought to be collaborators. The destruction left behind was horrendous. He coped up by blocking the images out but when he returned home, the horrific and disturbing images never got out of his mind. At one point he struggled so much trying to remember the past. His wife complained that he was short tempered and always on the edge shouting at the kids and losing...
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...The topic I have chosen for my research paper is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, also known as PTSD, is an anxiety disorder that develops in a person after an extremely traumatic event. These traumatic events can range from being in a war or in a crime to even an accident. In 1980 the American Psychological Association (APA) added PTSD to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder, which was also known as DSM-III. PTSD has had many different names over the years; in 1905 the Russians called it “Battle Shock”, during WWI it was called “shell shock”, Freud called it “war neurosis”, then during WWII the term changed to “combat exhaustion”, and in 1952 DSM-I called it “Gross stress reaction”,...
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...This is a research paper on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in which it explains that the treatment of this mental condition goes beyond regular mental health treatment. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: The War at Home Regina N. Chance Kwoya Fagin, Professor ENG215 Research and Writing 7 August 2010 Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Takes Special Medical Care The government is awesome at getting men ready for war, but they can’t quite get them back to civilian life and a humble heart. - JUNIOR ENLISTED MARINE, POST-IRAQ After we came back, many of us were only back in body. Our souls stayed over there. – ARMY COMBAT ENGINEER, POST-IRAQ Transition can mean the big picture of how a warrior has to try to adjust back into society, but the short term is very critical, from when a warrior leaves the battlefield to when they hit the streets at home. If there’s one thing I learned from my experiences, it was that there was no transition at all. –VIETNAM VETERAN Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has become the major medical issue with our soldiers returning from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. For many soldiers, it is a badge of honor to have served but for most, it is a start to an endless battle of finding the courage to continue to serve or be labeled an unfit soldier for the military and useless to their family. PTSD affects not only the soldier’s way of life but the core of who the soldier is. For this...
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...POST TRAUMA STRESS DISORDER What is Post Trauma stress Disorder? PTSD is a condition that is most commonly associated with veterans of war who have experienced front line battle. However, it can affect anyone who has had a major trauma in their lives. These can include but are not limited to auto accidents, rape, child and/or spousal abuse as well as other traumatic cases. The Wounded Warriors Project is a service that offers assistance to those returning from war that have lost limbs, vision, and those with PTSD to accept what has caused them to be or act crazy when they see or hear certain sounds. One of these sounds that can affect the soldier is the sound of fireworks. However, watching movies about war can also trigger that feeling of being there fighting with them. PTSD is categorized into four types: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, or changes in emotional reactions. The symptoms of PTSD can start as early as 1 day up to three months of the traumatic event. However, there are those who do not show signs of PTSD for many years. The symptoms may not appear until work or social situations cause the client to see the problem. Intrusive memories are mainly unwanted recurrent memories. This can make the client relive or have flashbacks on what caused the trauma. With this in mind, many family members find themselves walking on egg shells to avoid triggering an episode. Many clients with PTSD begin to avoid talking...
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...A Look into Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Rachael S 09/15/2013 PTSD affects 7.7 million American adults, but it can occur at any age (NIMH, PTSD, Who is at risk). The sight of violence and death leaves lasting effects on people. How do you think those people cope with what they saw when the Twin Towers went down? How do people cope with such traumatic experiences? The events that lead to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can impact one’s life, fortunately there are ways to treat it. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops after a terrifying ordeal that involved physical harm or the threat of physical harm (National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), post-traumatic stress disorder Para 2). It is the consequence of a deeply shocking, threatening, and disturbing experience such as military combat, a serious road accident, sexual or physical abuse, terrorist attack, or natural disasters are all possible causes of the onset of PTSD (MacDonald, 2008). PTSD became a formal diagnosis in 1980 (Lavin, Joanne, page 42). Think about when the Twin Towers went down because of terrorist attack, this had a huge impact on many lives. Many people died or injured that day, and the people that survived the terrorist attack, witnessed bodies burned up by the fire and heard screams of fear and pain. Hurricane Katrina took many lives as well. Katrina caused an abundance of damage like taking and injuring lives, demolishing homes and businesses, flooded the homes that weren’t...
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...Society has a tendency to underestimate the effect that post traumatic stress disorder when it comes to soldiers. Due to their experiences in war, it can leave a negative effect on their mental health. Post traumatic stress disorder can be triggered through intrusive symptoms, numbing symptoms, and arousal symptoms. Intrusive symptoms are the most common symptoms, and they can occur at any time of the day. They can be as simple as a sound or a smell, this can be triggering for soldiers due to the many sounds they hear in war recreated in common everyday noises. At times, soldiers “may remain so captured by the memory of past horror”, that returning back into present thoughts may be a struggle (ADD CITATION). For many soldiers, hearing a noise or smelling a familiar scent, could send them back into the moment, reliving an event they do not wish to relive. Stress from intrusive symptoms puts weight on a soldier's shoulders because they have to be prepared; based on their location, they have to be aware of the smells and noises that may surround them. Symptoms like these, have an effect on a soldier for the rest of their life, because they can never escape the sounds and scents of life....
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...EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This paper analyzes the cost/benefit of long-term care of Soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and the constraints the Department of Veterans Affairs faces in trying to meet the needs of these Soldiers. This paper uses data collected from government sources like the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Veterans Benefit Administration. The conclusions of the analysis are that: (a) The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is already overwhelmed by the number of patients it currently sees and the addition of these new Veteran’s seeking care will put a severe strain on the resources that are currently available; (b) The Veterans Benefit Association (VBA) is in need of restructuring to be able to handle the influx on claims it is currently experiencing. As it stands now the current wait time is up to 90 days before a Veteran will receive their disability rating and that time can increase with these additional claims; and (c) Providing medical care and disability compensation benefits to the Soldiers returning from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan can cost anywhere from $400 - $900 billion depending on the type of care required, how quickly they file their claims, and the growth rate of those benefits. The recommendations that need to be considered include: increasing the staff as well as the budget for Veterans Medical Centers especially those that specialize in mental health treatment; restructure the claims process and increase...
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...Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Name Institutional Affiliation Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder mostly develops after a person is exposed to a horrible or terrifying ordeal that involved physical harm, death, or any other threat (Dunkley et al., 2015). Therefore, I can argue out that it is a mental illness that develops after some traumatic events. However, not everyone who has experienced or witnessed some traumatic event has this disorder. Those who develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder may at some point be the ones who were harmed, witnesses of harm that occurred to their loved ones or even strangers. Research shows that at some point, those who are victims of the disorder may experience stress and fear even when they are not in danger (Dunkley et al., 2015). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, commonly referred to as PTSD, develops in children, teens, as well as adults. Therefore, it does not have a limit because anyone can develop the disorder. However, adults have proved to experience severe signs and symptoms of the disorder compared with teens and children (Dunkley et al., 2015). Moreover, not everyone with PTSD has experienced or witnessed a terrifying event. However, adults are more likely to develop PTSD than children, particularly after a past trauma. Causes of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Research shows that PTSD is caused by the past exposure to the traumatic event. However, there are other causes of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder that am...
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...This papers offers insight on the struggle among veterans that suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) related to combat and other stressful situations that are endured during military enlistment. There are many articles available as well as research that has been conducted on the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among Veterans that are combat and non combat related. There are many articles that closely show similar variations of statistics of Veterans in the United States of America that suffer from Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) which varies by service area. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can also be related to other occurrences such as combat situations, military sexual trauma, and traumatic brain injury...
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