PTSD, or posttraumatic stress disorder, is a common psychiatric issue that happens in people who have witnessed or gone through a traumatic event. At times, people also suffer from this condition when they witness some set of circumstances or series of events. People experience this condition as physically or emotionally harmful or life-threatening, and it affects their spiritual, social, physical, and mental well-being. Some instances are serious accidents, natural disasters, war, terrorist acts, historical trauma, rape or sexual assault, bullying, or violence from a close partner.
Earlier, this condition was popular by many names, like shell shock and combat fatigue. However, PTSD doesn’t combat veterans only, as people of all ages can suffer from this condition. If you make a study on PTSD, you will find that people of different ethnicities, cultures, and nationalities have suffered from this condition. Commonly, this issue affects 3.5% of US adults each year. 8 percent of adolescents who are aged between 13 and 18 suffer from PTSD. According to an estimate, one in eleven people are diagnosed with this condition. Both women and men suffer from PTSD; hence, they seek treatment from Tucson youth boot camp.
Common signs of PTSD
People who suffer from PTSD come across disturbing and intense feelings and thoughts that are connected to their experience. These feelings continue for a long time, even after the shocking events end. People relive the events through nightmares or flashbacks. At times, they get frightened, but sometimes, they become angry and sad. Additionally, they isolate themselves from other people. Individuals who suffer from PTSD try to avert people or situations that remind them of a traumatic event. Again, they also develop strong negative reactions to even an accidental touch or a loud noise.
Prime categories
The symptoms of PTSD are found in four categories:
Avoidance – Individuals who suffer from PTSD avoid reminders of a traumatic event. Hence, they avoid places, objects, situations, and people that tend to trigger disturbing memories. These people try to avert thinking or remembering about disturbing events.
Intrusion – PTSD patients go through intrusive thoughts like involuntary or repeated memories. They also suffer from flashbacks of a traumatic event or distressing dreams. At times, flashbacks become so vivid that people begin to feel like they are remembering the traumatic experience.
Change in reactivity and arousal – The reactive and arousal symptoms might comprise being irritable. Some other symptoms are angry outbursts and reckless behavior. When people suffer from PTSD, they become watchful of their surroundings in a highly suspecting manner. They become startled easily and have issues sleeping or concentrating.
Changes in mood and cognition – PTSD patients find it tough to remember vital aspects of a traumatic event. They begin to have distorted beliefs about themselves and, at times, about other people. They take less interest in even those activities that they used to do earlier. Mostly, people feel estranged or detached from other people. They fail to go through positive emotions and always remain surrounded by unhappiness or dissatisfaction.