What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is classified by the American Psychiatric Association as an anxiety disorder characterized by the re-experiencing of an extremely traumatic event1. An extremely traumatic event can be military combat, sexual or physical abuse, natural disasters, car accidents, or terrorist attacks2.

An event that involves witnessing, experiencing, or being confronted with death or the threat of death or serious injury to one’s self or other people is one example of an instance where PTSD may develop. The event also could be one where, when the event occurred, the person responded with intense fear, helplessness, or horror. Either of these types of events fits the first criterion put forth by the APA for medical diagnosis of PTSD1.

If someone with PTSD goes undiagnosed or untreated, he or she is at an increased risk for suicide, car accidents, job loss, divorce, social isolation, substance abuse, heavy smoking, alcohol and drug use, depression, panic disorder, anxiety, and insomnia3. This is why treatment is integral, because problems like job loss, divorce, and substance abuse will only add more stress and anxiety to the person’s life, worsening his or her symptoms.
 
Not all veterans returning from military service will develop PTSD, but nearly 20 percent of U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan report symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder or major depression4. Not all veterans with PTSD have a combat-related stressor, and the APA notes that there is no assumption that everyone with PTSD is identical in experiences and symptoms1.

Every experience is different, and there are several different factors concerning the event(s) witnessed that contribute to the severity of the PTSD developed. The National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder lists variables that affect the severity of the PTSD as the following:

Intensity of both the event and the reaction to it; duration of the event; whether or not the veteran lost someone close to him/her or was personally injured; whether the veteran felt in control of the situation; the proximity to the event; how much help and support was received after the event occurred2.

Veterans with PTSD do not always develop it from combat-related traumatic events. Being the victim of sexual or physical abuse as a result of being in the military, witnessing a natural disaster, or being involved in a motor vehicle accident while on duty are also examples of traumatic events that occur as a result of service in the military. 

The variations of these components produce different variations of PTSD, which is why there is no cookie cutter silhouette of a veteran with PTSD, nor is there a one-size-fits-all treatment. 

The Ghost Rider Foundation intends to address the stigma associated with post traumatic stress disorder, educate the general public about PTSD, and serve as a resource of information for veterans who think they might have or have been diagnosed with PTSD and their families.

FOOTNOTES

  1. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. 4th ed. Washington D.C.: American Psychiatric Association, 2000.
  2. "What is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder?" National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. 30 Nov. 2007. United States Department of Veterans Affairs. 7 July 2008 <http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/ncdocs/fact_shts/fs_what_is_ptsd.html>.
  3. Wilson, Jennifer F. "Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Needs to Be Recognized in Primary Care." Annals of Internal Medicine 17 Apr. 2007. 7 July 2008 <http://annals.org/cgi/reprint/146/8/617.pdf>.
  4. Tanielian, Terri, and Lisa H. Jaycox, eds. Invisible Wounds of War: Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery. California Community Foundation. Santa Monica: RAND Corporation, 2008. 26 June 2008 <http://www.rand.org/news/press/2008/04/17/>.