Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

The complex nature of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often requires long-term therapy. PTSD is a syndrome that produces behavioral abnormalities, which affect not only the patient, but his or her family and community. Whereas PTSD was once thought to afflict only survivors of war, psychoanalytical research indicates that this syndrome is experienced by victims of violence and natural disasters as well.

The term post traumatic stress disorder was initially defined in 1980 in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) DSM-III-R, the revised 1987 edition, lists five criteria for diagnosing this dis-order. First, the person must have experienced a life-altering event capable of causing extreme distress to almost anyone. Typical events include serious bodily trauma to oneself or to one's family and close friends, witnessing the catastrophic destruction of one's home or community, or having contact with the victim of an accident or incidence of physical violence. Second, the traumatic event is re-experienced through recurring dreams, flashbacks, feelings of deja vu, etc. Third, the person struggles to avoid thoughts, feel-ings, activities or situations associated with the initial trauma, all of which avoidance may lead to repression, numbness, or even psychogenic amnesia. Fourth, specific symptoms such as insomnia, increased anger, or hyperalertness are present. Fifth, the post traumatic difficulties must persist f

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ment of trauma: "Assault increases women's risk of violence-related stress, which increases their risk of alcohol and substance abuse, which increases their risk of being assaulted again" (Science News, 1994, p 5). PTSD in Vietnam veterans has been the subject of much re-search, and in many respects, their post-trauma symptoms are typical of other victims of abuse, violence, or catastrophic events. Most, but not all, research studies attest to the incid-ence of PTSD in Vietnam vets. Friedman (1981) cites a study by Robins and Helzer that drug addiction was not a serious problem for returning Vietnam vets, although alcohol abuse was (p. 932). An-other study by Helzer indicated that mental disorders related to combat were largely determined by personality variables of soldiers before entering service (p. 932). Of the numerous studies that indicate the presence of PTSD, the Post-Vietnam symptoms mirror the criteria listed in the DSM-III-R. Specific symptoms include: "sleep disturbances, depressed mood, anxiety, rage, alcoholism and chem-ical dependency, inability to relax, exaggerated startle response, low tolerance to stress, difficulty concentrating, diminished interest in social activities, and somatic complaints including chroni

Category: Psychology - P