| Why
do my memories of the traumatic event not seem to fade?
What
is PTSD?
How
is PTSD treated?
I've
heard that it can be harmful to relive the traumatic
incident so soon after the event - is this true?
Aside
from therapy, is there anything else I could do to alleviate
the symptoms of PTSD?
Why do my memories
of the traumatic event not seem to fade?
Our brains have systems which are programmed
to recognise dangerous situations and warn us to take
care by producing physical symptoms like sweating, churning
in the stomach or rapid heartbeats. After accidents
these protective warning signs can occur when no real
danger exists.
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What
is PTSD?
PTSD stands for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It is
categorised according to when symptoms occur and how
long they last. There are three types of PTSD:
Acute: symptoms
last between one and three months after the event
Chronic: symptoms
last more than three months after the event
Delayed onset: symptoms
don’t appear until at least six months after the
event
Diagnosis of PTSD is usually based on
the following:
Initial assessment – Your health
care provider will ask you about your symptoms and medical
history. This could be done by a structured interview
and/or questionnaire. You will be given a psychological
assessment and asked about past trauma. PTSD will be
diagnosed if you have the specified symptoms, they last
for more than one month, and they result in both emotional
distress and disturbed functioning (problems at school,
work, and/or in family and peer relationships).
Diagnosis is often based on the criteria
outlined in the American Psychiatric Association’s
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
(DSM-IV), which include the following:
- Exposure to a traumatic event
- Repeated vivid and uncontrollable memories
- Dreams and recollections of the event
- Emotional numbness
- Physical symptoms of fear triggered by cues in the
environment or other physical sensations that dredge
up the traumatic event
- Interference with work, school, and/or relationships
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How
is PTSD treated?
Treatments for PTSD include:
- EMDR (Eye Movement Densitisation and Reprocessing)
- Exposure (live and imagined - which aims to evoke
anxiety and promote habitation)
- Cognitive restructuring which aims to modify dysfunctional
thoughts, beliefs and assumptions
- Anxiety management techniques, including stress inoculation
training (SIT) which aims to teach the patient a variety
of coping skills in order to manage anxiety and other
symptoms.
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I've
heard it can be harmful to relive the traumatic incident
so soon after the event - is this true?
The reason EMDR works where counselling fails
is due to the fact that the human brain treats memories
of traumatic incidents in a different way to memories
of everyday life. Counselling, or what can be called
an 'insight-oriented' treatment can sometimes help to
override automatic physiological responses
to traumatic memories, while EMDR seeks to abolish
them. Following 9/11 studies showed that survivors who
benefited from early intervention with EMDR treatment
had significantly decreased levels of distress.
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Aside
from therapy, is there anything else I could do to alleviate
the symptoms of PTSD?
- Talk about what happened to you, how you feel and
what you remember.
- Talk about the experience with others who shared it
with you if you have contact with them.
- Write about your experience whether this is for yourself
only or to share with others.
- Cry.
- Eat sensibly and try to rest.
Watch your alcohol, tobacco, drug use and don't allow
it to increase from your usual use.
- Take up exercise and/or relaxation-meditation on a
regular basis.
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