Stress: The Results Of Posttraumatic Stress Syndrome And Its Treatment

Posttraumatic stress syndrome affects many parts of the body and its mental health.  A medical doctor who isn’t aware the physical problems are caused by the syndrome may treat symptoms.  People suffering from posttraumatic syndrome are more likely to suffer from other mental health problems at the same time.  These include alcohol and drug abuse, depression; conduct disorders, simple phobias and social phobias.

Many people with posttraumatic stress disorder were found to have severe and continuing problems in their daily lives.  They have problems in their family, problems with employment, and run-ins with the law.  They have a difficult time dealing with relationships.  This may cause difficulty in the marriage, problems in parenting, and financial problems connected to work related stress.

PTSD may be treated both with drug therapy and psychotherapy.  There is no one treatment that works for all.  Studies have shown that cognitive behavior therapy, group therapy, and exposure therapy shows promising results with posttraumatic stress syndrome patients.  Exposure therapy is when the sufferer relives the moment over and again until they can control the emotions that came with the event.

The most widely used drug treatments involve the drugs Zoloft and Prozac.  These drugs are serotonin reuptake inhibitors that also work in reducing depression, anxiety, and panic attacks.  Now, individual cognitive-behavioral work best but studies are inconclusive and drug trials for PTSD are in the early stages of development.

Drug therapy is helpful for many individuals and helpful to many others.  New research is being conducted to target biological changes with specific drugs.  More testing, and clinical trials need to be conducted to find the right combination of medicines to treat this stress problem.

There are some groups of people who are more susceptible to developing posttraumatic stress syndrome.  Those who experience emotions in intensity, those who have been sexually violated, those with a low stress tolerance, and a person who has been victimized either sexually or nonsexual.

Other people who are more likely to develop PTSD are people who have had long lasting childhood trauma that started at a young age, those who lack any emotional support, and stressful events that occur at the same time.  Those who suffer from a heightened sensed threat of danger, suffering, terror, or fear.

It is interesting to note that a feeling of betrayal can cause this stress disorder.  It could mean a betrayal of trust between a parent and child, between siblings, or between any other trusted adult in a child’s life.  The adult may have influence over the child and betrayal is felt when the adult takes advantage of a child’s innocence and trust.  A child wants to trust the adults that surround them.  Any betrayal of that trust will cause problems throughout their life.

Another group who may be at risk for developing posttraumatic stress syndrome are those people who were raised in an environment that produces self-hatred, guilt, shame or social stigmatization.

Posttraumatic stress syndrome can be treated.  Understanding the forces behind PTSD will help doctors and mental health professionals recognize and treat this devastating disorder.