Any thing in psychology area. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that is associated with a traumatic event. Every day, people encounter some very traumatic events. Some are able to cope with trauma, but others are not because traumatic events are very personal (Husbands, 2018). PTSD, thus, develops after exposure to a traumatic event and victims have to relive the experience over and over. PTSD is often associated with soldiers, but civilians also suffer from PTSD when they go through trauma. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2019), about 8% of the population is likely to suffer from PTSD at some point in the course of their lives. This includes both children and adults. Further, about 8 million of the American population suffers from PTSD in any given year. This is not to mean that only 8 million Americans experience a traumatic event. The number is higher, but some people can deal with those events better than others. In fact, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2019) reveals that about 60% of men and 50% of women experience a traumatic event at least once in their lives. This is not to mean that those who cope better with trauma are strong and those who experience PTSD are weak. It is, therefore, important to take a closer look at PTSD for a better understanding of the disorder. This paper investigates the causes, symptoms, and treatment of PTSD. In addition, it also explores the kind of populations that are at risk of PTSD and some of the coping strategies that people can adopt after experiencing trauma.
Causes
There is no conclusive research on why people develop PTSD because people can experience the same trauma, but not all of them develop PTSD. Primarily, exposure to a traumatic event is the cause of PTSD. However, a number of risk factors are attributed to the development of PTSD. The first risk factor is being in combat (Harik, Matteo, Hermann, & Hamblen, 2016). This is the main risk factor for veterans and soldiers because while in combat, they experience life-threatening events that traumatize them for years. The accumulation of such trauma over the years of service contributes to the high number of veterans with PTSD. The second risk factor is rape or assault, either sexually or physically (Harik, Matteo, Hermann, & Hamblen, 2016). Such an event can lead to the development of PTSD as the victim tries to reconcile with what happened. It gets worse when the victim blames themselves for the assault. Pierce (2019) reveals that victims of sexual assault are six times more likely to have PTSD because the trauma lives on even after the body has physically healed. In addition, sexual assault victims are likely to dissociate by mentally distancing themselves from their physical reality (Pierce, 2019). Thus, they develop PTSD when they try to reconcile what happened to them, and it becomes more difficult if the victim knew the assailant. Other risks factors that are personal include childbirth experiences, serious accidents, and childhood or domestic abuse.
There are also other risk factors that are not personal. One of them is an act of terrorism. According to Pierce (2019), a majority of Americans live in fear of terrorist attacks and other acts of mass violence such as the rampant mass shootings in schools. The fear of terrorist attacks rose after the September 11, 2001 attacks and people who lived close to the targeted area suffered from PTSD. In fact, 22% of individuals who were at work at the Pentagon that day suffered from PTSD while only 6% of those not at work that day developed PTSD (Pierce, 2019). This indicates that acts of mass violence play a significant role in the development of PTSD. Another risk factor that is not personal is an act of nature. This includes earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters. According to Pierce (2019), such disasters are devastating and are likely to trigger PTSD. Further, it can take long before people start experiencing PTSD-related symptoms. For instance, there is evidence indicating that a few months after Hurricane Katrina hit, 15% of the people in the affected area suffered from PTSD and one year later, this number rose to 21% (Pierce, 2019). Natural disasters are life-threatening and survivors often have to deal with the aftermath, which involves loss of life and properties. It is important to note that the greater the magnitude of the risk factors and trauma, whether personal or not, the higher the likelihood that an individual will develop PTSD. Without the proper support, the situation may worsen for the victims. As such, understanding the symptoms is one step towards providing victims with the proper intervention and care.
Symptoms
Symptoms of PTSD can manifest soon after a traumatic event or they can take years to show. According to Smith, et.al (2015), symptoms of PTSD manifest in four clusters namely intrusion, avoidance, negative cognitions and moods, and arousal. Intrusion involves re-experiencing the trauma when the victim relives the traumatic event. Reliving may come as a flashback where the victim feels like they are going through the event all over again (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2019). Further, the victim may experience nightmares that are related to the traumatic event. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2019) also indicates that people suffering from PTSD may experience triggers that cause them to remember the event in question. Such triggers include smells such as those of explosives for bomb survivors, sounds or they can even see things that remind them of the event. People with PTSD usually experience difficulty in breathing, loss of control or even intense sweating when the event is triggered in their memory. Avoidance involves staying away from people, things or places that remind the victim of the traumatic event (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2019). For instance, victims may avoid therapy sessions because talking about the event brings back memories. Further, they may avoid places such as shooting ranges if they were involved in a mass shooting. Basically, they try as much as possible to keep away the memories of the event and ultimately, they keep away from anything that can bring back those memories. Negative cognitions and moods refer to negative changes in the thoughts and moods of the individual. It involves changes in thoughts and feelings towards self or others (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2019). This symptom covers a wide range of elements such as difficulty in recalling some parts of the event in question, experiencing negative moods all the time, and a lack of interest in people and social activities. In addition, individuals may detach from the world in an attempt to stay safe because they believe that the world is a dangerous place. Basically, individuals experiencing negative cognitions and moods are pessimistic about everything and everyone. Finally, arousal involves always being on the lookout for danger (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2019). Individuals with this symptom are always vigilant and aware of their surroundings. However, they may also be easily startled by noises and experience difficulties in concentrating. They may also experience difficulties in falling asleep or staying asleep for long. It is normal for people to experience some difficulties after going through a traumatic event. It is good to seek professional help if these symptoms persist for months and are disruptive of everyday activities. Once the symptoms have been linked to PTSD, people should be given the proper treatment.
Treatment
Over the years, several treatment options for PTSD have been developed. Psychotherapies are the main and most preferred approach to treating PTSD. Psychotherapies are therapeutic approaches that involve personal interaction between people with PTSD and professionals in the field of psychology...