Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder
“Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychological reaction to experiencing or witnessing a significantly stressful, traumatic or shocking event” (mentalhealth.org.nz)
“Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychological reaction to experiencing or witnessing a significantly stressful, traumatic or shocking event” (mentalhealth.org.nz)
PTSD Isolation
The disorder that we now know as PTSD has had a long and interesting history. Early descriptive accounts of stress-related disorders are often linked to the history of warfare. Many Men and Women came back from war suffering from trauma on so many levels. From what I can determine doctors pretty much struggled in the diagnosis of the anxiety that soldiers were suffering, not really knowing if it was physical or psychological?
PTSD wasn’t fully recognised until around 100 years ago, though there were many terms for the condition it never became a modern term until around the 1980’s.
Thinking back at the Vietnam war and the Agent Orange nightmare, I know that here in NZ, the government finally saw fit to compensate those that fell victim to this terrible poison in 2009 a long wait after the event.
Because of psychological stress seen in burn injuries and head injuries as well as other civilian settings the term post traumatic stress disorder then became widely used.
Because of psychological stress seen in burn injuries and head injuries as well as other civilian settings the term post traumatic stress disorder then became widely used.
Anyone can suffer this illness, civilian PTSD could be seen in sexual abuse victims, automobile accident victims, natural disasters, any area of mention where a person was put in a position to have terror done to them, or have them see or hear it being done to another person.
This accounts for any horrific experience you can imagine, so the impact on the population you can see is great.
What has been discovered, is some incidents may disturb some and not others, the reason for this is unknown, why some people are more susceptible to PTSD than others, perhaps it’s in our genetic makeup?
Some events are more likely than others to cause PTSD, once again we are talking about the individual situations.
The Past.
I think that past experience has made us all aware, no longer are we suffering quietly like so many before did.
We are empowering ourselves to make changes.
People are coming out and talking about events, happenings, and things that other wise would have been sweep under the carpet many years ago.
A large number of men coming back from the First and Second World War came back with many symptoms, and sadly were not given the treatment needed.
I truly don’t think they were aware of the seriousness of this condition, (or were they?) It wasn’t until public opinion started questioning that the issues got addressed.
Once it was recognised as a medical condition, the nature of PTSD was still up for a lot of debate.
In my opinion fear seems to be an underlying factor with PTSD, Trauma is a frightening reality.
Post-traumatic stress disorder and fear are a marriage made in hell.
Scientist discover pathways to fear
“This study not only establishes a novel pathway for fear learning, but also identifies neurons that actively participate in fear conditioning,” said Li. “This new pathway can mediate the effect of the central amygdala directly, rather than signaling through other neurons, as traditionally thought
I think that past experience has made us all aware, no longer are we suffering quietly like so many before did.
We are empowering ourselves to make changes.
People are coming out and talking about events, happenings, and things that other wise would have been sweep under the carpet many years ago.
A large number of men coming back from the First and Second World War came back with many symptoms, and sadly were not given the treatment needed.
I truly don’t think they were aware of the seriousness of this condition, (or were they?) It wasn’t until public opinion started questioning that the issues got addressed.
Once it was recognised as a medical condition, the nature of PTSD was still up for a lot of debate.
In my opinion fear seems to be an underlying factor with PTSD, Trauma is a frightening reality.
Post-traumatic stress disorder and fear are a marriage made in hell.
Scientist discover pathways to fear
“This study not only establishes a novel pathway for fear learning, but also identifies neurons that actively participate in fear conditioning,” said Li. “This new pathway can mediate the effect of the central amygdala directly, rather than signaling through other neurons, as traditionally thought
Empowered by pain.
I started thinking about PTSD in children and thought about my own life and experiences with sexual abuse. I know for a fact it had a huge impact on my childhood as well as teenage years and has certainly had an impact on me in my adult years.
I know with out a doubt it changed my thinking on how I view or see the world, even to this day.
You can not erase a traumatic event that has taken place in your life, you can only assimilate it the best way possible.
I started thinking about PTSD in children and thought about my own life and experiences with sexual abuse. I know for a fact it had a huge impact on my childhood as well as teenage years and has certainly had an impact on me in my adult years.
I know with out a doubt it changed my thinking on how I view or see the world, even to this day.
You can not erase a traumatic event that has taken place in your life, you can only assimilate it the best way possible.
To Heal
People are all different, we respond, we react and we heal all differently, it’s so important in your healing that you find what works for you personally, whether you find some one in mainstream medicine like a therapist, psychiatrist or psychologist, or whether you go off the beaten track with alternative healing therapies, meditation and personal growth.
People are all different, we respond, we react and we heal all differently, it’s so important in your healing that you find what works for you personally, whether you find some one in mainstream medicine like a therapist, psychiatrist or psychologist, or whether you go off the beaten track with alternative healing therapies, meditation and personal growth.
Life is the teacher.
Life is our teacher, take the positive from any negative event, not always easy but somethings to work on.
Important things like:
1. How you handle your emotions
2. How you see yourself in the experience
3. How you see the world
4. How you create blame
5. How you relate to the incident in the logical mind
6. How you relate to people
7. How you feel about yourself
8. How you communicate to others and yourself
9. How you justify your position about how you feel
This is what moving on from the event is all about.
· Learn who you are
· Learn the skills to overcome the fear, because it’s the fear that creates, shame, guilt, isolation.
· Take from that experience the positive aspects that make you a better person.
Not an easy ask I know!!!
We must keep believing in ourselves never giving up that tomorrow will give us courage and strength.
Be A “SURVIVOR”
