Post Traumatic Stress Disorder:
Who may suffer from it??
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD, is a condition that affects many people in the United States. People who are affected by PTSD usually have experienced a traumatic event in their lives. According to the National Center of PTSD about 6 out of 10 men and 5 out of 10 women experience at least one trauma in their lives. However, just because you have experienced a traumatic event does not necessarily mean you will be diagnosed with PTSD. PTSD affects only a small percentage of the population. The National Center of PTSD says about 7% or 7 out of 100 people will be diagnosed with it.
http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/PTSD-overview/basics/index.asp
PTSD is close to my heart because I have symptoms of the disorder from my time in the military. I have some issues going anywhere that you may find large crowds of people. Things like the movies, sporting events, firework displays, and even a classroom are things I struggle with everyday. I have done extensive research on the subject and have learned ways to cope with PTSD so I can enjoy some of the things in life that a majority of the population deal with without having a panic attack.
PTSD has come to light lately thanks to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The wars of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)have seen service members diagnosed with the disease much more frequently than in past conflicts. OIF and OEF have seen as many as 20% of service members diagnosed with PTSD, while Desert Shield and Storm only had 12% diagnosed and the Vietnam War had 15% diagnosed with the disease, according to the National Center of PTSD. In my opinion many of the reasons military members are more prone to the disease than the average person is because the men and women of the military are relatively young and are almost guaranteed to experience some form of trauma. This trauma can be something as being scared during combat or loosing a close friend that they have bonded with in war.
Natural disasters such as a living through a hurricane, witnessing a horrific crime, being a victim of a sexual assault, or even losing a loved one can cause a person to show signs of PTSD. According to Robert Preidt, a writer for ABC news, people who lived through Hurricane Katrina are 10 times more likely to suffer symptoms of PTSD than that of the general population. Mr. Preidt’s numbers came out to about 38% of victims who lived during the Hurricane Katrina nightmare while the national average is only about 3.6%.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Healthday/story?id=4507165&page=1
There is plenty of help out there if you believe you may have symptoms of PTSD. Everything from self-help books to counseling. If you are a veteran of the military you can seek help through the Veteran’s Administration. If you’re not a veteran your local primary care physician can direct you to someone in which you can talk to. The key to beating PTSD is getting help.
PTSD is a disease in which affects people who have experienced a traumatic event in their lives. It could be something such as war, a natural disaster or being a victim of a crime. It affects each person diagnosed with it in different ways. It can lead to suicidal or homicidal thoughts, it can cause normal everyday activities to be more challenging then you can imagine, and it can cause relationship issues with friends and family. However if you or someone you know are affected by PTSD, the most important thing is getting help and treatment to cope with the disease.
