Post-traumatic stress disorder can be caused by experiencing some traumatic incidents. This is a mental disorder that can happen if a person has experienced some gory incidents or if he has undergone some serious physical harm.
It has been observed that this disorder emerges within three months of the occurrence of a traumatic incident that has stirred the mind of a person vehemently. The incidents can range from an unanticipated bereavement to an unforeseen natural calamity. Any kind of threat or serious mental illness can lead to this disease. This disorder is often caused by stress of active warfare.
Causes Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
The cause behind Post-traumatic stress disorder is obviously a traumatic incident that has stirred the mind of a patient violently. These incidents might be anything right from witnessing any terrifying incidents to experiencing sexual adultery. Illness, drug addiction and medical complication are some of the important causes of the disease. Those who have experienced some gory incidents in a battle field may be affected by this disorder.
Amygdala is a part of brain that is responsible for expressing some common expressions for example fear and anxiety. It has been observed that, in Post-traumatic stress disorder Amygdala begins to behave abnormally. It has been observed that when a person is affected by this disorder, some hormones begin to secrete from their glands abnormally. This abnormal behavior of hormones is thought to be another prominent cause of Post-traumatic stress disorder.
Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
The symptoms of Post-traumatic stress disorder become obvious within three months after the occurrence of a traumatic incident. Those who are affected by this disorder may feel uncontrollable emotional outbursts that may erupt sporadically. Apart from that, a person can experience an unexpected but vivid recurrence of a past experience. These are some of the important symptoms of this ailment.
At the very initial stage, one can feel dizziness and a feeling of anxiety and guilty. A person who is suffering form this ailment tries to isolate himself from his near and dear ones. One can be addicted to drugs and alcohol to remain unaware of the incident that has happened.
Depression and shunning daily activities are some of the conspicuous symptoms of Post-traumatic stress disorder. One can also find it tough to concentrate on a particular subject. One can experience nightmare and lack of sound sleep. Ill temperament, wrath and poor performance while working are some of the common symptoms of Post-traumatic stress disorder.
Treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
One can recuperate from Post-traumatic stress disorder within one or two months but in some cases it takes longer time to recover from this disorder. To relieve from anxiety and depression, some practitioners use a combination of medications and psychological therapy. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is some times practiced by some practitioners so that a patient can control his anger and emotion. In an exposure therapy, a patient needs to confront with anxiety and traumatic event that can help him to recuperate from this disease. Though this therapy may appear stressful at the first appearance, later a patient becomes habituated to it. This therapy will teach a patient how to cope up with an unpleasant situation.
For reducing the effect of the traumatic event from a person’s mind, practitioners often use the drug Propranolol. This drug is highly effective in reducing the severe symptoms of this disease. Post-traumatic stress disorder is now treated with multiple therapies for generating better result. Some antidepressant drugs are used along with these therapies and are doing a good job. Srtraline, venlafaxine, fluoxetine and mirtazapine are some of the common antidepressant drugs that are helping patients to recuperate from this disease as early as possible. Now an anticonvulsant drug named lamotrigine is doing a good job to reduce the symptoms of this ailment.
Advice:
A person, who is suffering from Post-traumatic stress disorder, has be supported and assisted by his relatives. If a person has experienced a traumatic incident, his mental condition needs to be brought under medical supervision which will help him to avoid any unpleasant consequences in near future. Critical Incident Stress Management can help a patient to get relief from this aliment.
