Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

PTSD is a type of anxiety disorder which occurs after a traumatic event. Patient re-experiences some aspects of the trauma. He avoids any queues related to the trauma. There is an avoidance of thoughts, feelings, conversations, activities, individuals or places that are reminders. There is inability to recall portions of trauma. There is decreased interest in pleasurable activities detachment or estrangement from others, restricted feeling off emotions. Re experiences occur in form of repeated thoughts, images relating to the trauma, nightmare. Those symptoms were followed by heightened anxiety level and feeling of fear. The body symptoms of that state include increased muscle tension fast heartbeat, sweating hyper sensitivity to noise and feeling jumpy. The traumatic event is in the event that in war actual or threatened that all serious injury or a threat to the physical integrity of self war others. The person responds this with intense fear, helplessness or horror.

62% of patients of PTSD also have another psychiatric diagnosis for example generalised anxiety disorder simple phobia. There is increase risk of obsessive compulsive disorder, dysthymic disorder, depression alcohol abuse simple phobia.

Majority of people who witnessed trauma recovered from it naturally. One to 9% of people in general population suffer from PTSD. Women are twice more likely to develop the disorder than men.

Post-traumatic stress disorderscientists have found a small decrease in the size of part of the brain called the hippocampus.

Pharmacological treatmentincludes antidepressant combined with psychological treatment. Psychological treatment includes trauma focus cognitive behaviour therapy. Eye movement desensitisation reprocessing (EMDR) is also effective.