Question

Define Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and give an example of what kind of event might result in someone experiencing the disorder. Include a discussion of the key symptoms, the risk-factors and at least one treatment that is used.

Answer 1

Post traumatic stress disorde: it is a psychological problem which results from the experiences of traumatic event. They have difficulty in adjusting and coping with their stress caused due to the traumatic event. There is no time period ie) it can last for monts or years.

For example: If a person encounters a car accident , then his or her post traumatic symptoms will be like they might become nervous at a sight of car or even they generalize it with all the vehicals and fear everything. Even if they watch a film where a scene about CAR accident occur , they won't be able to control their fear and they remember about their own experience of it. They might also get nightmare and flashbacks time to time.

KEY SYMPTOMS : flash backs, nightmares, recurrent thought about their traumatic event, stress, depression,anxiety, they avoid things that make them remember about the event, mood change, have problem in sleeping, concentrating, lack of interest, they even generalize their fear with things, they sometimes also experience suicidal thoughts.

RISK FACTOR: anyone can experience PTSD but those who experienced abuse, accident,sexual abuse, natural disastor or anyother disastor are more prone to this disorder.

TREATMENT : cognitive therapy, exposure therapy, desensitization etc can be used.