PTSD

What Is PTSD?

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a type of anxiety disorder
• It can occur after one has been through a traumatic event
• This event is terrible and scary, that you see, hear about, or that happens to you
• Exa: Combat exposure, a terrorist attack, sexual of physical assault, serious accidents

HOW IT AFFECTS THE BRAIN

• Limbic System: Associates emotion, behavior, and some involuntary actions
• Amygdala- Controls fear, emotion, and startle resonse
• Hippocampus- Memory formation, long term or permanent
• Adrenal Glands- Release Cortisol, which contains responses

HOW IT AFFECTS THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

• When the nervous system stays arouses after trauma, certain chemicals stay in high amounts
• If cortisol fails to shut them down, one's traumatic memory gets out of hand
• The memory becomes "overconsolidated" and inappropiatly remembered
• Small things begin to remind one of their bad memory and cause great stress

Can It be Cured?

• The greatest number of studies have been conducted by exposure-based treatments
• This involves having survivors repeatedly re-experience their traumatic event
• In treatment for PTSD one will: Learn how to cope and control intrusive memories,
• Explore thoughts and feelings about the trauma, and address problems PTSD has caused in life,
• And lastly, work through feelings of guilt, self-blame, and mistrust

Types of Treatment

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy
• Family therapy
• Medication
• Eye Movement Desensitization