|
A Bad Effect From a
Traumatic Event
Posttraumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) has been called shell shock or battle fatigue
syndrome. It has often been misunderstood or misdiagnosed,
even though the disorder has very specific symptoms.
Ten percent of the
population has been affected at some point by clinically
diagnosable PTSD. Still more show some symptoms of the
disorder. Although it was once thought to be mostly a disorder
of war veterans who had been involved in heavy combat,
researchers now know that it also affects both female and
male civilians, and that it strikes more females than males.
In some cases the
symptoms of it disappear with time, whereas in others they
persist for many years. It often occurs with—or leads
to—other psychiatric illnesses, such as depression.
|
 |
  |
|
A Long-term Problem
Some people face situations that are so traumatic that
they may become unable to cope and function in their daily
lives. They may become so distressed by memories of the
trauma -- memories that won't go away -- that they begin to
live their lives trying to avoid any reminders of what
happened to them.
A person who still feels this way months after a
traumatic experience took place may be suffering from
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, a serious and common
health condition. For these people, getting beyond the
trauma and overcoming It requires the help of a
professional. Untreated PTSD is associated with an extremely
high rate of medical and mental health service use, and
possibly the highest per-capita cost of any psychological
condition.
But there is help and there is hope.
|
