Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Today society is riddled with events that are out of ones control. Events, whether they be natural or man made, can be extremely traumatic and in many instances can trigger the onset of a common anxiety disorder known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. Upon further research into this disorder a direct correlation can be made between traumatic events and symptoms that occur as a result. Many people who are involved in traumatic events have a difficult time adjusting. In many cases, however, the symptoms can get progressively worse, sometimes, even completely disrupting one 's life. Although the symptoms and degrees of severity may differ from case to case the effect can still be life altering. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is the only psychiatric condition in the DSM-IV that requires a specific event to have occurred as a criterion for the diagnosis (Saskia, S.L. et al., 2005). Symptoms of PTSD can include but are not limited to flashbacks, or reliving the traumatic event for minutes or even days at a time, shame or guilt, upsetting dreams about the traumatic event, trying to avoid thinking or talking about the traumatic event, feeling emotionally numb, irritability or anger, poor relationships, self-destructive behavior, hopelessness about the future, trouble sleeping, memory problems, trouble concentrating, not enjoying activities you once enjoyed, and hearing or seeing things that aren 't there. (Kolk, McFarlane, Waisaeth 26-45).
Chief complaints in patients who have been diagnosed with PTSD include 2 major symptoms: Anxiety which causes an abnormal reaction to loud noises and difficulty sleeping due to repeated nightmares. "Exaggerated startle is reputed to be one of the cardinal symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. This symptom was more notable in victims of severe trauma and was accompanied by anxiety and fear of a repeat situation (Grillion, C.A. et al., 1995.)
Difficulty sleeping due to nightmares was another

Bibliography: Bessel A. van der Kolk, Alexander C. McFarlane, Lars Weisaeth. "Traumatic Stress : the effects of overwhelming experience on mind, body, and society" New York : Guilford Press, c2007 C. A.; Grillon, Christian; Southwick, Steven M.; Davis, Michael; Charney, Dennis S. (September 15, 1995)., Fear-Potentiated Startle in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Biological Psychiatry, Volume 38, issue 6 p. 378-385 Pauvonic, N, Oust L,. September 19, 2000. Cognitive-behavior Therapy and exposure therapy in the treatment of PTSD. Stolkhom University Dept. of Pychology Journal. Raskind, M, Peskind E, Kanter, E., Reduction of Nightmares and Other PTSD symptoms of Combat Veterans by Prazosin. (2003). American Journal of Pyschiatry, Volume 160(2): 371-373 Saskia, S., Arnound, A,. ( 2005) Symptoms of PTSD after non-traumatic events: evidence from an open population study. British Journal of Psychiatry, Volume 186: 494-499.