Post Traumatic Disorder, commonly known as PTSD, can affect anybody at any age. PTSD stems from a traumatic experience, mostly violent ones. It is not unusual for it to manifest to people who had been through domestic violence, rape, terrorism or war. In some cases, accidents can also cause the disorder. Many soldiers who were exposed in the battlefield show signs and symptom of PTSD.
PTSD can also manifest after the occurrence of a violent natural disaster like an earthquake, volcanic eruption, tsunami, or a hurricane. The people around the person suffering from PTSD are also impacted, especially those who are in a close relationship with the victim.
If you are married to someone who has PTSD, you will be on a journey that is painful and difficult to traverse. You will have to deal with episodes of attacks as the patient relives his trauma in his dreams. It is not unusual that he will have nightmares and will constantly live in fear. He will have flashbacks and may have difficulties knowing that his experience has happened in the past and not at the current moment.
Victims commonly succumb to depressions. Most will have anxiety disorders. In some cases, the patients manifest physical symptoms like nervous tics. Others will keep on repeating the same motions while some may show symptoms of anxiety like having a dry mouth, shaking, muscle spasms, blurred visions, and headaches. Coping with the disorder is a long process. It is important that the victim is surrounded by people with the appropriate knowledge in dealing with it and with people who love him.
In some cases, PTSD can go on undiagnosed for so many years. And then one day, all the symptoms manifest suddenly and the patient starts to behave erratically. To an extent, most individuals who witnessed these episodes might think that the person lost his marbles. Some patients will consciously attempt to mask or shrug the symptoms, believing that they will go away on their own.
They will not seek professional help until the time comes that PTSD becomes a burden that makes them dysfunctional. And once they do, they are often given medication to suppress anxiety. This is supplemented with therapy. In most cases, therapy is the only method to cure it, especially if there are no physical symptoms that may impair an individual. Most people who go through this ordeal are war veterans but the disorder spares no one, including children, teenagers, adults, and the elderly.
There is no single set of criteria of behavior that a person must display before being diagnosed with PTSD. Symptoms vary from one person to another and the severity will also differ. There are individuals who cannot handle the symptoms and become socially impaired while some are aware of their conditions and fight it internally.
Most social activities for people with PTSD are limited. They are in constant fear that any of these activities can trigger the attack. Most of the time, they cannot sleep for long periods of time because the disorder manifests in the dreams. They have nightmares that cause panic attacks. These episodes can wake a partner up and can also impact the partner's physical and emotional well-being.
It is of utmost importance that the relatives and friends of those suffering from PTSD show support. The patients need nurturing, love, care, and understanding. Their journey through this ordeal will be easier and they can recuperate faster with an appropriate support system.
Symptoms of PTSDHere are some resources that will show you the common signs and symptoms of PTSD.
These resources show how PTSD occurs. These materials will also enlighten you how it is defined in the medical community.
These are reading material where you can learn how anxiety attacks occur. Once you read these, you will learn how to avoid situations that can start panic attacks.
Here are articles that will help you understand the scope of the dangers of PTSD. These should provide you an idea how urgent it is to get the disorder treated once signs and symptoms are observed.
If you are dating or living with someone suffering with PTSD, here are some resources that will help you deal with your situation.
PTSD is a serious and debilitating disorder. It has a cure. What's more important, though, than the medicines and the therapy is support. People who suffer from it live in constant fear, not only of the past but of the possibility that no one cares and that they will be alone.