...recurrent nightmares and avoidance of reminders of the event (Merriam-Webster 2014). PTSD is an anxiety disorder that may develop after a person is exposed to one or more traumatic events, such as sexual assault, serious injury or the threat of death. When the symptoms of PTSD are present for 30 days or more a full diagnoses if given. Symptoms may begin immediately or in the future. While the majority of the population will be exposed to some sort of trauma in their lifetime only few people will develop PTSD (Kessler 1995). With the United States being in conflicts over seas, more and more of our military men and woman are experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder but are ultimately failing to seek the medical help they need and deserve. Symptoms and Prevalence Although PTSD symptoms can begin right after a traumatic event, PTSD is not diagnosed unless the symptoms last for at least one month, and either cause significant distress or interfere with work or home life. In order to be diagnosed with PTSD, a person must have three different types of symptoms: re-experiencing symptoms, avoidance and numbing symptoms, and arousal symptoms (Nebraska department of Veterans Affairs). Re-experiencing Symptoms Re-experiencing symptoms are when a person keeps reliving the traumatic event. People relive trauma in many different ways. Some have certain triggers the cause anxiety. For example a woman who has been raped by a man with numerous tattoos may become distressed when she sees...
Words: 1485 - Pages: 6
...emergency situations regarding medical issues, traumatic injuries and accident scenes but are not allowed to penetrate the skin, meaning no needles or cutting into patients. EMTs and paramedics have an abundance of issues which go unnoticed in their field in today’s society. A few of these issues are gender-oriented issues, work-stress burnout, and PTSD. From the beginning, emergency medical services in the United States has been a male-dominated occupation. There have been data tests used to determine the male to female percentage. According to the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, “men make...
Words: 1195 - Pages: 5
...The Sustainability of BWS under Philippine Laws (A Position Paper) The case of People v. Genosa in 2004 was a landmark case that allowed for the Philippine laws to recognize a kind of self-defense that is exclusively for women. The recognition of Battered Women Syndrome (BWS) was not only considered a triumph for Women and Children’s Rights advocates but it was also an implied recognition of the insufficiency of laws protecting the rights of women and children in the country by the highest court of the land. Thus, three months after the promulgation of the People v. Genosa Decision, Republic Act No. 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act (AVAWC) was enacted. I. The Status of Women Experiencing Violence in the Philippines Abuse of women in the Philippines is not a new issue. Reports of violence against women have consistently been present in data gathered by concerned agencies and advocate groups. In 2008, the Philippine National Police reported 6, 905 and in 2009, a total of 9, 485 cases of violence against women respectively. Table 1. Cases of Violence Against Women Reported to the Police, 2008-2009 |Classification of Offenses |2008 |2009 |08-09 Inc/Dec | | |Number |Percent |Number |Percent |Number |Percent | |Rape |811 |11...
Words: 4704 - Pages: 19
...defense but to show that it exist and that victims can experience this. Rape Trauma Syndrome There have been many trials that use rape-trauma syndrome as either a defense mechanism or as a way to say that rape happened and this was a consequence. But not many trials with expert testimony on RTS as allow to be used. Yet it should be as many people, both female and males, are raped and experience RTS. Rape trauma syndrome is defined by Gupta (2013) as a type of PTSD that consists of physical and emotional traits from post-rape that many people are rape victims share (pg. 415). RTS is very serious and those that have experienced this syndrome deserve to have it recognized in court. There are many misconceptions of rape. Greene and Helibrun (2011), describe four different attitudes that add to the misconceptions of rape: “1. Women are seen as responsible for preventing their own rape, 2. a desire for sex is seen as the main motive for rape, 3. severe punishment is advocated for rapist and 4. a woman is seen as instigating rape through flirtatious behavior or provocative dress” (pg. 335). Three out of...
Words: 2027 - Pages: 9
...The phenomenon of interest (birth trauma and what it means to women) was clearly identified in the report. In the introduction the authors stated that women’s perception of birth trauma is quite different from the perception of the same phenomenon by health care providers. She also uses a term “in the eyes of the beholder” to emphasize that for every woman this phenomenon is unique. It is stated that PTSD after childbirth is quite prevalent and several studies support this fact. However, research is regarding the understanding of the birth trauma phenomenon from the woman’s experience lacking. The problem statement was worded clearly and directly and I wasn’t ambivalent about what problem will be discussed in the remainder of the article. Due to a lack of current literature on the subject and prevalence of PTSD after childbirth one can see the value in conducting such a study and the potential benefit to the profession of nursing. By understanding the perception of birth trauma to women, we as nurses will be able to facilitate better care, improve patients’ experience with childbirth, and prevent PTSD associated with childbirth. The methods used are not mentioned in the first paragraph but in a separate section following the research question where they are outlined clearly. The method of interviewing participants in focus groups is consistent with the naturalistic paradigm of qualitative research. The researcher clearly explained the reason behind choosing a qualitative...
Words: 1381 - Pages: 6
...When you see a man or woman with a hat on that says OIF (Operation Iraqi Freedom), OEF (Operations Enduring Freedom), Desert Storm, or Vietnam veteran, you thank them for their service but you can’t even begin to understand the horror of the war that they have been through. They have seen their best friends die right in front of them or they have even had to take a life themselves and living with that everyday is the worst. The pain and agony of no one else knowing what they are going through day in and day out is just unbelievable for them. When researching how PTSD affects soldiers in the U.S. a few questions are asked. What are the statics of PTSD in soldiers that served in the U.S.? What are the symptoms of PTSD? What are the types of therapy soldiers with PTSD can receive? To start off, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in the military has always been something they bring back with them from combat. You see horrific things happen right before your very own eyes. Things that you can even begin to explain to someone who didn’t live it like you did. You see traumatic events like bombs landing a few feet in front of you shaking you to your core. You see blood, gore, decapitations, casualties, and much more. When you see the statics of PTSD in soldiers that served in Operations Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Operations Enduring. Freedom (OEF), Gulf...
Words: 450 - Pages: 2
...Charles Dickens portrayed the character Miss Havisham as having post traumatic stress disorder.PTSD, which is experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like a horrible event that had happened in your life which may lead to (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs).The symptoms of PTSD which is depression which Miss Havisham shows a lot in book.. For example; “She had not quite finished dressing, for she had but one shoe on. The other was on the table near her hand, her veil was but half arranged” (Dickens 44). The symptoms of depression that Miss Havisham shows in the book, because of her past, which shows how it's affecting her day to day life. Miss Havisham always shows distrust and negative feelings towards people especially men...
Words: 1957 - Pages: 8
...Mary Winn 10/24/13 Does an Elective Abortion Lead to Negative Psychological Effects? Pro • Abortion can be considered a trauma. Approximately 10% of women undergoing induced abortion suffer from immediate complications, of which one-fifth (2%) were considered major. Women who abort are approximately four times more likely to die in the following year than women who carry their pregnancies to term. The leading causes of abortion related maternal deaths within a week of the surgery are hemorrhage, infection, embolism, anesthesia, and undiagnosed ectopic pregnancies. Legal abortion is reported as the fifth leading cause of maternal death in the United States, though in fact it is recognized that most abortion-related deaths are not officially reported as such. Women with a history of one abortion face a 2.3 times higher risk of having cervical cancer, compared to women with no history of abortion. Women with two or more abortions face a 4.92 relative risk. Similar elevated risks of subsequent ovarian and liver cancer have also been linked to single and multiple abortions. These increased cancer rates for post-aborted women may be linked to the unnatural disruption of the hormonal changes which accompany pregnancy and untreated cervical damage or to increased stress and the negative impact of stress on the immune system. Approximately 10% of women undergoing elective abortion will suffer immediate complications, of which approximately one-fifth (2%) are considered life...
Words: 1448 - Pages: 6
...Rape in the United States April Sexton Rasmussen College Rape in the United States A major social problem in the United States is rape and sexual assault. Studies show that one in six American women are victims of rape, and every two and a half minutes someone is raped in the United States. That is alarming! Studies also show that more than half, 59% to be exact, of all rapes go unreported (RAINN, 2007). What is rape and why is it so common in America? Why are so many victims of rape and sexual assault not reporting it to authorities? In this paper I plan to answer and address these questions, and many more in depth issues involving rape such as male and lesbian rape survivors, incest, post traumatic stress disorder, and rape trauma syndrome. Rape and Sexual Assault Rape is forced sexual intercourse, including vaginal, anal, or oral penetration. Penetration can be by an object or by a body part. Rape victims may be forced through physical means or threats. Anyone can be a victim of rape: women, men or children, straight or gay. A rapist uses violence or force, or the threat of it, to take control over someone. Rape is a crime across the United States, whether the person committing it is an intimate, a date, a stranger, an acquaintance, or a family member. Sexual assault is unwanted sexual contact that stops just short of rape or attempted rape, which includes fondling and sexual touching. Of the 200,780 victims in 2004-2005, about 64,080 were...
Words: 2291 - Pages: 10
...A young sniper of the IRA lay watching on the rooftop for his enemy. While in the darkness of night, the sniper made the risky decision to light a cigarette. His enemy shoots at him after seeing the spark of light from the match. Soon after the gunshots, he sees an armored car of the enemy coming towards him. It stops and an elderly woman walks up to it. The sniper notices that she is an informer seconds before the armored car starts to shoot at him. He shoots and kills the man who was in the enemy car, then the woman informer. After the sniper revealed his location for the second time by shooting the two enemies, the man on the opposite roof began to attack him, shooting the republican sniper in the...
Words: 1438 - Pages: 6
...is experiencing these symptoms. I have chosen to discuss posttraumatic stress disorder and its capabilities with human beings. In this paper it is proposed that Autonomic Nervous System hyper arousal is at the core of PTSD and the driving force behind dissociation and flashbacks. Acute traumatic reactions are very different from PTSD. Review: Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) often disrupts the ability to function of those affected by it, interfering with the ability to meet their daily needs and perform the most basic tasks. Trauma continues to be a part of the lives of people with PTSD as they relive the most horrible life-threatening experiences one could possibly imagine. Researchers have proven that not everyone experiencing traumatic events develops PTSD; it is a complex psychological condition that can emerge in the wake of life-threatening experiences. Certain events are life threatening and will produce traumatic stress in victims. This is a normal and adjustable response for the mind and body to protect the individual. The mind is thinking the only way to protect the individual is to prepare him to fight or run. If these two techniques work the stress will usually be released, allowing the victim to return to a normal level of functioning. PTSD develops: when the threat continues over a long period of time; and/or the threat is so extreme that the...
Words: 1003 - Pages: 5
...fiancée, a beautiful young woman he’d been dating for the past 4 years, was walking across a busy intersection to meet him for lunch one day. He still vividly remembers the horrific scene as the drunk driver ran the red light, plowing down his fiancée right before his eyes. He raced to her side, embracing her crumpled, bloody body as she died in his arms in the middle of the crosswalk. No matter how hard he tries to forget, he frequently finds himself reliving the entire incident as if it was happening all over. Josh has been plagued with nightmares about the accident almost every night. He had to quit his job because his office was located in the building right next to where he was meeting his fiancée for lunch the day she died. The few times he attempted to return to work were unbearable for him. He has since avoided that entire area of town. Normally an outgoing, fun-loving guy, Josh has become increasingly withdrawn, “jumpy”, and irritable since his fiancé’s death. He’s stopped working out, playing his guitar, or playing basketball with his friends – all activities he once really enjoyed. Josh suffers from Post traumatic stress disorder (ptsd) Josh would be better suited with secondary care and Psychotherapy to help talk about the issues he faces and help him find better ways to cope with the issues he faces, And also medication to help him sleep. Josh could benefit visiting http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml for more information...
Words: 379 - Pages: 2
...Some veterans aren’t so lucky to come home and live a completely normal life. More times then not veterans tend to come home dealing with PTSD (Post traumatic Stress Disorder), or they become be highly addicted to drugs and alcohol. These veterans try to cope with their Post traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) by drinking heavily, using drugs, or smoking too much. People coming back from service have more problems with drugs and alcohol both before and after getting PTSD. Even if someone does not have a problem with alcohol before a traumatic event, getting PTSD tends to increases the risk that he or she will develop a drinking or drug problem. Eventually the overuse of these substances can turn into Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and treatment...
Words: 847 - Pages: 4
...child abuse, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Studies show that 75 percent of women who have an abortion are more likely to die within a year than women who chose to carry throughout the term (El). Though, that may not seem like much but it does consist of many women who are unhappy with the decision that they chose to make. Sometimes it is not even the decision that the women wants to make, they do it because their boyfriend or husband do not want the child and they fear that if they would keep the child than it would only cause problems in their relationships. This then causes women to have more suicidal attempts because of their decision that they chose to make. The decision may not cause the mental affect until after a couple months down the road after the abortion has happened. “The first and most pivotal is the abortion itself, which in many cases is more traumatic than usual human experience. The second criterion is re-experience, which causes women to remember the specifics of the experience; this may even include hallucinations, and often are spurred on the anniversary of the event. The third criterion is Avoidance, which is spurred on by guilt. This means that the woman avoids all things that would remind her of the event. Women often become detached from others, and withdraw from relationships, and perhaps takes on a hard cold attitude toward others to avoid feeling love for them. At this stage the woman often just wishes for the end of her life, and...
Words: 2496 - Pages: 10
...The Public Needs to Know: Domestic Violence Shelters Domestic Violence Shelters Today in America we face a challenging crisis called Domestic Violence (DV). Everyday there is another case where a woman has been challenged by this issue. The rapid demand for domestic violence shelters has increased over the last years. Domestic violence shelters are used to help woman move on from violent situations and into a positive environment. Bethlehem Haven, is a non-profit organization that has many services to offer women to help them start fresh. Over the last few years the need for DV shelters has almost doubled. The process to join a DV shelter will have a significant impact on a woman’s life and benefits are endless. Census In 2013 NNEDV had a count for both women and children that were victims of domestic violence. This census documented all the number of both children that were affected by domestic violence in a 24-hour period. During this documentation the noted the types of services that were requested and successfully fulfilled and also the unmet requests. According to DV counts in 2013, 2424 victims were served in one day, 1168 domestic violence victims (618 children and 550 adults). Out of the 2424 victims that were affected by this crisis 1259 weren’t in need of shelter but were taken to receive counseling and legal advice. The children were also referred to programs to help them cope with the situation. Unfortunately not all requests for assistance can be...
Words: 1030 - Pages: 5
