Understanding PTSD: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention

Study Notes

Preventative Measures

While there are no guaranteed preventative measures for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), recognizing and addressing risk factors can help reduce the likelihood of developing PTSD. Some protective factors include seeking support from friends, family, or support groups, learning to accept one's actions in response to a traumatic event, and having a coping strategy for getting through and learning from the event.

Impact on Daily Life

PTSD can significantly disrupt daily life, affecting various aspects of an individual's life, including:

Social relationships
Work performance
Physical and emotional health
Enjoyment of everyday activities

In some cases, complications such as depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, and suicidal thoughts may arise due to PTSD.

Causes and Risk Factors

PTSD is triggered by a traumatic event that involves actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence. Some risk factors for developing PTSD include:

Lack of family or social support resources
Repeated exposure to traumatic circumstances
Personal history of trauma or of an acute stress or anxiety disorder
Family history of mental health disorders

Treatment Options

The primary treatment for PTSD is psychotherapy (talk therapy). Cognitive restructuring, a type of psychotherapy, can help individuals think about what happened in a realistic way. Medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), may be prescribed to manage PTSD symptoms like sadness, worry, anger, and emotional numbness.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

To be diagnosed with PTSD, an adult must have all of the following symptoms for at least one month:

At least one re-experiencing symptom
At least one avoidance symptom
At least two arousal and reactivity symptoms
At least two cognition and mood symptoms

Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety, and uncontrollable thoughts about the event. PTSD symptoms can interfere with an individual's ability to function in social or work situations and may cause problems in relationships.