Community Awareness
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Despite the stigma PTSD does not only impact soldiers whose been in combat. It is a disorder in which a person has difficulty recovering after experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event. The condition may last months or years, with triggers that can bring back memories of the trauma accompanied by intense emotional and physical reactions.
Exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence in one of the following ways:
· Directly experiencing the traumatic event.
· Witnessing the event as it occurred to others.
· Learning of the traumatic event that has occurred to a family member or close friend that has been violent or accidental.
· Experiencing repeated or extreme exposure to aversive details of the traumatic event
Presence of one or more of the following intrusive symptoms associated with trauma, beginning after that traumatic event has occurred:
· Recurrent, involuntary, and intrusive distressing memories of the trauma
· Recurrent distressing dreams related to the traumatic event
· Dissociative reactions (flashbacks) where the individual feels or acts as though the trauma was recurring.
· Intense or prolonged psychological distress at exposure to internal or external cures that symbolize or resemble trauma
Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with trauma, beginning after that trauma has occurred, as evidenced by one or both of the following:
· Avoidance of or efforts to avoid distressing memories, thoughts, or feelings about or closely related associated with trauma
· Avoidance of or efforts to avoid external reminders (people, places, conversations, activities, objects, situations) that arouse distressing memories, thoughts, or feelings, about or closely associated with trauma
Negative alterations in cognitions and mood associated with the trauma, beginning or worsening after the trauma, as evidenced by two or more of the following:
· Inability to remember important aspects of the trauma, due to dissociative amnesia and not other factors such as head injury, alcohol, or drugs.
· Persistent and exaggerated negative beliefs or expectations about oneself, others, or the world
· Persistent distorted cognitions about the cause or consequences of the trauma that leads to individuals blaming themselves and others
· Persistent negative emotional state (fear, anger, guilt, horror, or shame)
· Diminished interest or participation in significant activities
· Feelings of detachment or estrangement from others
· Persistent inability to experience positive emotions (happiness, satisfaction, or loving feelings)
Marked alterations in arousal and reactivity associated with trauma, beginning or worsening after the trauma has occurred, as evidenced by two or more of the following:
· Irritable behavior or angry outburst, typically expressed as verbal or physical aggression toward people or objects
· Reckless or self-destructive behavior
· Hypervigilance
· Exaggerated startle response
· Problems with concentration
· Sleep disturbances (difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, restless sleep)
· Duration of the disturbance more than 1 month
· Disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or important areas of functioning.
· Disturbance not attributable to physiological effects of substance use or another medical condition
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