June is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month. How can PTSD symptoms be recognized and treated?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) awareness month is recognized each year in June. PTSD is a mental health condition that develops at any age in individuals who have witnessed a life-threatening event such as combat, natural disasters, car accidents, sexual assault, etc. About 6 out of every 100 people (or 6% of the U.S. population) will have PTSD at some point in their lives, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Center for PTSD.
Traumatic life events trigger PTSD
Witnessing a life-threatening event can cause the onset of PTSD immediatly after, but symptoms may also appear months or years later. Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder include reliving a traumatic event (flashbacks), avoiding things that remind an individual of a traumatic event, having more negative thoughts and feelings than before the event, and feeling on edge.
Symptoms can be triggered by external stimuli, such as hearing news reports, witnessing accidents, or seeing fireworks that cause an individual to relive the event or experience flashbacks. PTSD can also include avoidance of places, events, or objects that are reminders of a traumatic event.
After experiencing a life-threatening scenario, many individuals may experience the symptoms of PTSD, but some go on to develop chronic PTSD. Symptoms that last more than a month, are very upsetting, or that interfere with daily life are considered chronic PTSD, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Diagnosis and treatment options
Treatments for PTSD include medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of both. Medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) help control sadness, worry, fear, and other psychological symptoms associated with the disorder.
Trauma-focused psychotherapy counseling aims to treat patients by focusing on the specific traumatic event witnessed. Psychotherapies include Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), where patients learn the skills to understand how trauma has changed their thoughts and feelings and help with working toward emotional responses related to the event. Prolonged Exposure (PE) is a therapy that includes discussing a trauma repeatedly until the memories are no longer upsetting to regain control. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) involves focusing on sounds or hand movements while talking about the trauma so that the brain is able to process traumatic memories.
PTSD Awareness
Treatments for PTSD can lead to a better quality of life for those that live with the condition. In the month of June and throughout the year, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs aims to spread the word to everyone afflicted with PTSD that effective treatments are available to help manage symptoms.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, factors that may promote recovery after a traumatic event include seeking out support from friends and family, finding a support group, and developing a positive coping strategy.