Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

It is a condition seen in people who experienced an event that would be most distressing to most human beings like serious threat to one’s life, physical or psychological integrity, serious threat to one’s children or parents, sudden destruction of one’s home or seeing a person who has recently been injured or killed.

The elderly and the very young are more vulnerable to develop the illness. Adult women are more inclined to ask for help. Young boys may be more vulnerable to trauma than girls.

Symptoms

Characteristic symptoms develop following exposure to an extreme traumatic stressor. The person’s response involves intense fear, helplessness or horror. In children, this may be expressed by disorganized or agitated behaviour.

These symptoms do not exist prior to the trauma but persist for at least one month following the trauma. These include re-experiencing the event (nightmares), avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma, decreased responsiveness (detachment) and increased arousal (hyper-vigilance).

Other symptoms may include survivor guilt, irritability, poor concentration, amnesia, personality change, sleep disturbance, substance abuse, depression and suicidality.

Types

PTSD may be acute with duration less than 3 months. Chronic form is defined when the duration of symptoms is more than 3 months. There is also a sub-type of the illness, with a delayed onset of symptoms, which starts at least 6 months after the trauma.

Lab Investigations

Character pathology as mentioned in Minnesota multiple personality inventory is the main diagnosis. Neuropsychological testing is helpful in cases of dementia and cognitive dysfunction. EEG, CT scan, MRI are done to rule out any brain damage (this result may be altered by sleeping pills, anti-depressants, neuroleptics and other psychotropic medications).

Psychological testing and a thorough mental status examination are valuable in a complete, thorough assessment of the patient.

In acute stress disorder, the disturbance lasts for minimum of 2 days and the maximum of 4 weeks and occurs within 4 weeks of the traumatic event. If the symptoms last more than 4 weeks, or begin more than 30 days after the original trauma, the condition is diagnosed as PTSD.

Treatment

Treatment includes psychotherapy, group therapy, hypnotherapy and behaviour therapy. Relaxation exercises help to reduce anxiety and improves sleep. A healthy diet of complex carbohydrates, proteins, minerals and multi-vitamins must be taken.