Posttraumatic stress disorder is a very common anxiety disorder, yet it is one that is often misdiagnosed. Common for victims of sexual abuse, rape, and other traumas, as well as for military veterans, PTSD is often misdiagnosed as depression, another anxiety disorder, or a personality disorder. Many patients are unable to link their symptoms to an earlier trauma and many are reluctant to talk about traumatic events, both of which can make it harder for a doctor to attain the correct diagnosis until a history of trauma has been established.
PTSD
According to statistical studies, approximately 7.7 American adults suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder. This equates to approximately three and a half perfect of the adult population of the United States. The average age of onset is twenty-three, though the condition can occur at any age, including childhood.
What Are the Symptoms and Effects of PTSD?
For people with PTSD, there can be a number of symptoms and effects. There are many specific symptoms that can occur for people with PTSD, but for diagnostic purposes, there are three main classes or clusters of symptoms and a total of seventeen symptoms within them. Here, we will explain the three clusters as well as the symptoms that comprise each of them. It is not necessary for someone to experience all seventeen symptoms to be diagnosed with PTSD, but a certain number from each cluster.
Avoidance
The first class or cluster of symptoms associated with PTSD are the avoidance symptoms. These symptoms essentially have the effect of helping the patient avoid places, people, and experiences that can remind them of the trauma. In some cases, they can result in a numbing of the emotional response in general. The seven main avoidance symptoms are:
- Making an effort to avoid feelings, conversations, and thoughts related to the trauma.
- Making an effort to avoid people and places that remind the person of the trauma.
- Having a hard time remembering important parts of the traumatic event.
- Diminished interest in once important and positive activities.
- Feeling distant from other people.
- Experiencing a hard time having positive feelings such as love or happiness.
- Feeling as though your life may be cut short.
Re-Experiencing
Re-experiencing symptoms are those that cause the individual to relive the trauma or emotions associated with the trauma. There are five different re-experiencing symptoms.
- Frequently having thoughts or memories about the traumatic event that are upsetting.
- Experiencing recurrent nightmares.
- Experiencing “flashbacks”, or acting or feeling as though the traumatic event were happening again.
- Experiencing strong feelings of distress when reminded of the traumatic event.
- Being physically responsive to reminders of the traumatic event, such as experiencing sweating or an increased heart rate.
Hyperarousal
Hyperarousal symptoms are essentially the body’s adrenal system or “fight or flight” response going into overdrive. There are a total of five hyperarousal symptoms used in diagnosing PTSD.
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Feeling irritable or experiencing outbursts of anger
- Having difficulty concentrating
- Feeling constantly on guard or as though there is danger lurking around every corner
- Being jumpy or very easily startled
What Causes PTSD?
The main cause of posttraumatic stress disorder is trauma. This can be an event that is life threatening or one that severely compromises the victim’s emotional well-being. These traumas can cause intense fear or pain. Common traumas that result in PTSD are rape and sexual abuse, accidents, acts of violence, war or natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and criminal attacks. PTSD can develop for people who are the victims of these events as well as for those who witness them. It is not uncommon for members of the armed forces who witness violent acts against fellow soldiers to develop PTSD, and in the wake of September 11th, many people developed the condition from the resulting emotional trauma.
While trauma is the primary cause of PTSD, there are other factors that can play into whether or not the condition develops as a result of trauma. Studies show that people who experience a higher number or increased duration of traumatic events are at higher risk for developing this anxiety disorder. People with little social support or who already had an emotional condition before the event also experience a higher rate of developing PTSD. Research also shows that people with learning disabilities and those who live with violence in their own homes are also more likely to develop PTSD. Females, children, and adolescents seem to be more susceptible.
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