Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder By: Christopher Barnes

Abnormal Psychology Paper Instructor Leverentz-Brady FALL 2013 Coastal Carolina Community College

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, once known as shell shock or battle fatigue syndrome in early years has become a well-known condition over the years due to the most recent wars in Afghanistan and also Iraq. The War On Terrorism introduced something not seen since WWII, a massive amount of veterans with PTSD. The shocking reality that PTSD was a serious condition affected many families before it was seen as a serious problem by the US government and the population. PTSD may occur at any age and can follow events such as the following: assault, rape, war, prison, and domestic abuse or violence. PTSD is defined as a serious but treatable condition that is developed after an individual has experienced or witnessed a traumatic event in which serious harm has occurred or threat of injury or death. Each person reacts to traumatic events differently which makes us unique in our abilities to cope with the situation or event. Individuals with a history of trauma are more susceptible to the risk of getting PTSD. It is developed often three months after the occurrence of the traumatic event. PTSD alters the bodys natural responses to stress, it affects the neurotransmitters. There are three main categories of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder listed below: 1. Reliving: People repeatedly relive the event through their thoughts and memories of the situation of event. They become very uncomfortable, and overwhelmed when a reminder of the event is present.

2. Avoiding: The person avoids any reminder such as people, places, or thoughts that remind them of the event. These feelings eventually in turn become isolation and withdrawal, and also loss of interest inactivates that once were enjoyed by the individual.

3. Increased Arousal: Includes increased emotional output; outburst or anger, being jumpy or easily startled, irritability, difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, including affecting the persons love life, by not being able to show affection or emotion.

PTSD is not as common as many would believe. Only about 3.6% of all Americans fight with the condition (5.2 million). Only 7.8% of people will experience PTSD in their lifetime or at some point in their life. A surprising reality is that women are more susceptible to acquiring the condition than man. Some believe it is due to the fact that women are targeted victims of domestic violence, abuse, and also rape. I myself am diagnosed with the condition of PTSD. During service at Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune I worked in an Intensive Care Unit where I would see many horrible things happen on a weekly and sometimes daily basis. I have to deal with the loss of each patient and the so called pulling the plug on various people. I also dealt with the cleanup of the dead after an unsuccessful rescue attempt on their lives. Trying to save someones life and watching the fade away while doing CPR is something I never learned to deal with. I think I just learned to ignore the pain after a while. I have had patients that have died slowly as they lied in a bed for a week while the family waited for them to pass instead of ending the suffering they had been on for a great portion of that family members life. I also understand that as a family member you want the best for your loved one, but as a hospital corpsman I also have realized suffering before death is not a so to speak good death. I didnt realize until the first week being stationed at the Naval Hospital that I had bit off a lot more than at the time I could deal with. I was barely trained in all lifesaving techniques and had

only basic knowledge of taking care of the sick, and wounded. I had never even been in an Intensive Care Unit until I was placed there. Months passed as I dealt with a death more than twice a week during my first year. Each death sent me spiraling deeper into alcoholism to cope with the fact that my hands could only do so much in the sustaining of a life. I hated that I would care for these wonderful people, who during their short stays were the reason I woke up every morning and then one day I would come on shift and hear they had passed before I could even say good-bye or have the feeling that I did all I could along with the few nurses that we did have on staff. The nurses were just as overwhelmed with the daily tasks as I was and each shift I could see it. (To top it all off, I was also going through a divorce with a cheating wife who had only been in Jacksonville for two months) Eventually I learned the skills needed but the negative part was that the hospital corpsman (with the acquired knowledge to save lives) they were all leaving slowly but surely. In time again the death rate increased because we had to spread out the knowledgeable corpsman on the fours shifts to be able to oversee the other corpsman out of basic that basically didnt care at all. This had come to be my breaking point along with others I had worked with on a daily basis. One person in particular was my late friend Brian. He had been a great influence on the younger corpsman on staff and brought knowledge and some fun in what felt at the time such a gloomy place. He eventually was overwhelmed with the work environment and also personal life and one day decided to commit suicide. I had talked to him that day and no signs were present only slight sadness that he and his girlfriend broke up and money problems were still a major issue. That night I went over to our friend Jarrods house, like every day after work and played a little call of duty. Brian went outside to talk on the phone and around the apartment but suddenly we heard a loud BOOM. We started to smell the gunpowder smell inside the apartment.

We rushed out to see if Brian was alright but never before had I seen a mess like I had seen that night. He had taken a shotgun and shot his head off most of his face leaving most of his lower portion of the face but the top half of his head was completed gone and in pieces all over the sidewalk and ditch where he pulled the trigger. He was bleeding profusely and I and Jarrod had no idea of what to do, as his headless body gasped for air. I rushed inside and found the medical pack and ran back outside to hand to Jarrod. I pulled out the gauzes and applied pressure to the places that were bleeding, and Jarrod tried to open an airway but was unsuccessful due to the fact his hands were shaking. With both of us crying and providing as much care as we could it was hard to see exactly what we were doing. Jarrod barely made an incision. To keep it short Brian did within a matter of minutes, as his body went into shock and slowly stopped gasping for air. Jarrod and I didnt realize how much this would affect our lives later on. I realize just how much now every single time I try to fall asleep at night. This in itself has become a task due to the enormous amounts of nightmares I have on a daily basis. I think about this day along with the patients I was unable to save each night, and their faces. As weird as it sounds hallucinations of seeing shadows sometimes may happen inside my home or if I am outside having a cigarette before bed to relax. In my experiences I have been placed on many drugs by doctors and also have seen psychiatrists for help. Since I have been out of the military this has been hard to come by due to the great decrease in salary. To cope with this I at the time am not on any medication but have found that talking about it is the best option. Speaking about the events that have caused PTSD each time has become a relief and therapeutic in a way. I have found that focusing my energy into my family has helped. Some of the symptoms of irritability and anger have come about in the past year and also recently. I am lucky to have someone that was also military and she can

see when I am frustrated and can help bring back the loving man she knows I am. Nightmares will bring the flashbacks and I have found myself accidentally hurting my girlfriend before. Does it happen often now, now at all, but in the past I have awaken to myself screaming, crying, sweating, or frightened by the events I have experienced. In the beginning when I was first diagnosed I suffered from symptoms of depression, anger, mood swings, and much time spent isolating me from friends, family, and even my own children. I think my relationship with my children has suffered but at their young age they arent able to understand. My family to include my brothers, sisters, and parents still try to understand that I am still in transition mode from the military presently. By being away from the military now it is very hard because it is all that I have known since I was 17 years old. Seeking help is the first step in treating my PTSD, and also finally admitting I had something very wrong was my second step. Most of all the support I receive has been my main source of help with this condition. Some signs to seek help right away are feelings of being overwhelmed, thinking of hurting yourself or anyone else, the inability to control your behavior, and other very upsetting symptoms of PTSD. In order to treat the condition of PTSD, evaluations must be performed on the total medical history and also physical exam. There are no lab tests that are available to help doctors in the diagnosis of PTSD. The best way to find the condition is through seeking mental help. The mental health professionals such as psychiatrists and psychologists use specially designed interviews and assessments to analyze the person. The doctors goal in treating the condition is to reduce the emotional and physical symptoms of the person to help with the daily functions and activities of life. In order to improve the person must want to cope with the condition and also the need to improve daily activities.

Medications are also used in the treatment of PTSD to control emotions and feelings of various anxieties. The type of anxiety drugs commonly used are named Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors. SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are the most commonly prescribed antidepressants. They can ease symptoms of moderate to severe depression, are relatively safe and generally cause fewer side effects than other types of antidepressants. Tranquilizers and also Mood Stabilizers may also be used in the treatment of this condition. Mood stabilizers balance certain brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) that control emotional states and behavior. Below are the names of the medications for each type used to treat the condition. SSRIs: Paxil, Celexa, Luvox, Prozac, and Zoloft Antidepressants: Elavil and Doxepin Tranquilizers: Ativan and Klonopin Mood Stabilizers: Depakote and Lamictal If PTSD does occur, there is a form a treatment called desensitization may be used. This may help reduce the symptoms of PTSD by encouraging the person to remember the traumatic event and express feelings about the event. Support groups where others have similar experiences may also help. Another form used to help treat the condition is through psychotherapy. This helps the person learn to manage their symptoms and also find ways to cope. There a many different approaches to include the following: Cognitive behavioral therapy: basically recognizing the thought patterns that may triggers certain emotions, feelings, or behavior.

Exposure therapy: when the person is asked to re-live the experience or exposing the person to situations or objects that induce the anxiety. This is done safely in a wellcontrolled environment.

Psychodynamic therapy: analyzes the focus on personal values and emotional conflicts from the traumatic event.

Family therapy: analyzes the affect that the condition and behaviors have on family members.

In an article by Harold Cohen, entitled Myths and Facts about PTSD, I felt this would be interesting to share, and also material needed to be covered among many who are wives of military members. 1. Myth: PTSD is only seen in people with weak characters who are unable to cope with difficult situations in the same way that most of us do. Fact: PTSD is a human response to markedly abnormal situations, and it involves specific chemical changes in the brain that occur in response to a person experiencing a traumatic event. Many of the symptoms of PTSD seem to be a direct result of such brain changes. 2. Myth: All of us have been through frightening experiences and have at least one symptom of PTSD as a result of that experience. Fact: Although memories of frightening experiences may be similar to symptoms of PTSD (e.g., vivid memories), most persons do not have the severity of symptoms or impairment associated with PTSD. The specific brain-based responses seen in PTSD differ from those seen in normal anxiety. Similarly, the experiences of normal anxiety and of PTSD are markedly different.

3. Myth: Stress reactions to trauma exist, but these should not be considered as a serious medical problem. Fact: PTSD is a medical disorder that can sometimes cause serious disability. Persons with PTSD often also have co-occurring mood, anxiety, and substance-related disorders. In addition, these people may have significant difficulty at their job, in their personal relationships, or other social interactions. In conclusion PTSD is a treatable condition and also one that takes time to treat. With Jacksonville being a military town there are many veterans and military person(s) suffering from this condition. I hope that with the knowledge you have heard today that you may be able to help someone else that you may see suffering from the condition of PTSD, and if you may have a loved one suffering from this condition a better understanding of how you may help.

Bibliography Cohen, H. (2012). Myths and Facts about PTSD. Psych Central. Retrieved on July 23, 2012, from http://psychcentral.com/lib/2006/myths-and-facts-about-ptsd/ NIMH Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)/www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/posttraumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd National Center for PTSD: www.ptsd.va.gov/ Web MD. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/guide/posttraumatic-stress-disorder