Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (“PTSD”) is a mental health condition resulting from a traumatic experience.  Any experience that an individual finds traumatic, which can be different for everyone, can lead to PTSD.  For example a minor car accident might be considered an upsetting experience for one person, whereas another person involved may well perceive this as extremely traumatic.

Recent studies have shown that individuals can also develop PTSD following the birth of a child, especially if there have been any complications leading up to, or during the delivery. Other people may develop PTSD following a direct assault or from observing someone else being assaulted. 

Symptoms of PTSD can vary for every individual however they will often include flashbacks, which can lead to  a person reliving the experience as though they are back in the moment. This can cause significant distress.    Nightmares regarding a specific event or another life threatening experience are another symptom and these can, if left untreated, lead to more prolonged sleep disturbances or fragmented sleep, which can both lead to their own supplementary health problems.  PTSD sufferers are left with a heightened emotional arousal causing them to become hyper-vigilant, anxious, depressed and/or angry.

Who is effected and why? 

PTSD is caused by either being involved in or witnessing what your body and/or brain conclude to be a highly traumatic event, however not everyone who experiences a traumatic event will go on to develop PTSD.  It is not evidently clear why some people develop the disorder whilst others do not.

Treatment for PTSD

There are two types of therapeutic approaches which are proven to be beneficial for PTSD sufferers. Trauma focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy helps individuals to talk through the traumatic experience and any trigger points, which helps them develop a sense of control over their life and symptoms whilst reducing maladaptive behaviours. The second form of treatment recommended is Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (“EMDR”) which involves therapy lead eye movements whilst thinking about the traumatic event.  This is believed to help the brain understand and reprocess the information obtained and reduces the intensity of the memory.