Module 5 SLP: Social Psychology Group Identity and Group Dynamics

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
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Author Note
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Definition
A psychiatric problem or disorder that result after one has gone through traumatic experience is termed as Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The traumatic experience is being involved or witnessing a life threatening event, such as rape, accident, fear, feeling helpless, emotions, guilt, anger, shame and others (Krippner, 2012). Feeling afraid or emotional after a traumatic experience is normal. The traumatic situation triggers body changes in response to the situation. This is termed as flight response and is meant for self-protection against danger or a threatening situation. The flight response combined with the traumatic situation create symptoms in our body. The truth is that most people recover symptoms immediately or shortly after the trauma naturally. However if the symptoms persist the individual may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (Lahad, 2010). Individuals with PTSD feel afraid, frightened or stressed even in the absence of danger. PTSD can occur to anyone at any age and is a problem in society today. So anyone with PTSD should understand they are not alone. They should admit the problem and seek medical attention from experts.
Symptoms of PTSD
PTSD may develop immediately after the traumatic incidence or can take days, weeks to months. For one to be diagnosed suffering from PTSD they must be having or experiencing arousal symptoms, re-experiencing symptoms and avoidance symptoms (Krippner, 2012). Re-experiencing symptoms develop as result of one thinking about the traumatic incidence even when they don’t want to. Hence, it can be when they suffer from involuntary thoughts of a life threatening situation. It is common in situations where one cannot avoid stop thinking about the traumatic event. At times a person remembers this memory as if it is when they are occurring, this is termed as flashback. Here one may develop feeling like anger, helpless or fear, same as those they developed when the incidence occurs. In general re-experience symptoms are flashback, frightening thoughts and bad dreams.
Arousal symptoms are not triggered by things, the affected people feel always alert after the life threatening incidence. This can result to difficulty sleep, irritability and difficulty in concentration. Arousal symptoms are feeling tense, difficulty sleep, angry outburst among others. Arousal symptoms persist and can make the affected person angry and stressed. For example one may stop using a motorbike after a motorbike accident.
Symptoms of avoidance include; avoiding events, places and tools that may make you remember the bad experience, feeling depressed and emotionally numb, experiencing trouble when remembering the threatening incidence and losing passion on activities you love at past. Person with PTSD avoi...