Signs and Symptoms
The symptoms of PTSD usually begin within 3 months of the traumatic event. However, sometimes they surface many years later. The duration of PTSD, and the strength of the symptoms, vary. For some people, recovery may be achieved in 6 months; for others, it may take much longer.
Bad dreams
Scary thoughts you can't control
Staying away from places and things that remind you of what happened
Feeling worried, guilty, or sad
Feeling alone
Trouble sleeping
Feeling on edge
Angry outbursts
Thoughts of hurting yourself or others
Role of Genetics
Through the samples, Myers and her colleagues at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta were able to map an effect in the pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) gene and its receptor PAC 1.
The protein PACAP, known to broadly regulate the cellular stress response, was found to be over-expressed in the individuals with PTSD.
Characteristics
1. Acting or feeling as if the traumatic event is happening all over again
2. Intense distress related to internal or external events that remind one of the traumatic occurence.
3. Efforts to avoid thoughts, feelings, or conversations assoicated with the trauma.
4. Efforts to avoid activities, places, or people that might be associated with the trauma.
5. An inability to remember important aspects of the traumatic event.
6. Decreased interest or participation in certain activites.
7. Feelings of detachment or estrangement from others.
8. The inability to have certain feelings.
9. A sense that time is short, and there is no future.
10. Difficulty concentrating.
11. Hyper-vigliance.
Who gets PTSD?
PTSD can happen to anyone at any age. Children get PTSD too.
You don't have to be physically hurt to get PTSD. You can get it after you see other people, such as a friend or family member, get hurt.
What causes PTSD?
Living