Hi from California flower people!
How did the title of this post affect you?
Post traumatic Stress Disorder can lead to suicide as people with the disorder become desperate to end the flashbacks and nightmares of the trauma that they endured this includes war veterans and others….
Approximately 5.2 million…….adult Americans attempt suicide. According to Psychiatric Times, Lieutenant General Peake testified that the number of suicide attempts by all veterans under treatment by the VA actually could be more than the 1000 per month. According to Wrong Diagnosis, approximately 20.2 of every 100,000 soldiers killed themselves, compared with the 2006 civilian rate of 19.2.
About.com, reports that those with PTSD rates of suicide attempts increased considerably among people who had experienced multiple incidents of sexual (42.9%) or physical assault (73.5%). They also found that a history of sexual molestation, physical abuse as a child, and neglect as a child were associated with high rates of suicide attempts (17.4% to 23.9%). 5.2 million adult Americans (NIMH); 3.6% adults (NIMH); about 30% of war veterans.
This National Anxiety and Depression Awareness Week, so I thought that I would address one of the most misunderstood diagnosis, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, I have this disorder due the abuse I experienced in childhood. It became debilitating for me, but I hid it for a very long time. Treatment is available and those with the disorder can lead fulfilling lives. Depression was previously covered in a two part post, Part I and Part II.
Freedom From Fear states, “Each year more than 17 million Americans will suffer with an anxiety disorder. More than 19 million will also suffer from some type of depressive illness. The cost to the economy of these terrible diseases is billions of dollars each year; the cost in human suffering is immeasurable.
Despite all of advancements and opportunities for safe treatment, the majority of folks who suffer with anxiety and depressive illnesses do not seek treatment, drop out of treatment too quickly, are non-compliant to treatment or receive treatments that are not the most effective. Some of the reasons this occurs are the terrible stigma surrounding mental illnesses, lack of resources available to those in need (adequate insurance, community resources, knowledge of where to go for treatment, not enough treatment providers, etc) public’s lack of understanding the signs and symptoms of theses illnesses.
Clinicians recognize about 12 relatively distinct subtypes of anxiety disorder: Panic Disorder, with and without Agoraphobia; Agoraphobia Without a History of Panic Disorder; Specific Phobia; Social Phobia; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Post-traumatic Stress Disorder; Acute Stress Disorder; Generalized Anxiety Disorder; Anxiety Disorder Due to a General Medical Condition; Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorder; and Anxiety Disorder Not Otherwise Specified.
The prevalence of these disorders is startling. At sometime during their lives, nearly a quarter (24.9%) of the adult population in the United States will have an anxiety disorder. Only substance-related disorders are more common (26.6%).” We all have stressful events in our lives,but its what we make of them that defines our character. This not a simple stressful event. It is a trauma outside the range of “normal” personal experiences where you believe that your life or someone else’s is in danger.
The following is from the National Institute for Mental Health and is very brief:
What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, is an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, or military combat. For the complete DSM-IV-TR Criteria for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder to Mental Health Today.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder has been around as long as there has been wars, torture, abuse, divorce, accidents, deaths or any type of trauma, but never had a name. People probably ignored it, had “nervous breakdowns,” combat stress, shell shock, became delusional or psychotic, became addicted (alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling-yes, those are verified addictions) or committed suicide.
It is not a medical bandwagon and not an excuse. It is not readily diagnosed because there has to be a triggering event. It is a real disease that significantly disrupts a persons life. When I started to have memories of my abuse, I eventually was no longer able to work. I wanted to continue; however, my symptoms became such that I was either going to be hospitalized or stop working. I miss working, but know I cannot which is a tough thing for me to swallow.
My symptoms include intrusive flashbacks of my abuse (auditory, olafactory, seeing, physically feeling and re-experiencing my abuse), disrupted sleep, dissociation (not completely in reality, but in a fog state), extreme hypervigilance, exaggerated startle response, panic attacks, feeling overwhelmed ALL the time and avoidance of anything associated with my abuse (crowds, loud noises, odors, yelling, loud voices, knives, tools, belts, the color pink, I could write a whole page, but I won’t). I don’t have control of when the flashbacks occur and they significantly interfere with my daily life. It is treatable usually with psychotherapy and medications which I am doing. There is also another form of treatment that seems quite successful. It is EMDR which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing.
Are we better off not knowing about PTSD? Is it possible for the brain to recover totally? Or do you just have to learn to live with it? No, we are not better off not knowing because it occurs in our brain anyway. No, would you want to live with those symptoms because they are there whether or not you have a name for it. Having a name helps people learn to cope with it and not think that they are “crazy.” There are actually neurological changes in the pathways that react to stress that become automatic. Those cannot be changed without intervention. The pathway does not ever go away. However, the brain can learn new pathways, but it is very difficult…take it from someone who knows.
The flashbacks at this intensity and reactivity with treatment can get to the point where there a less severe or no symptoms or flashbacks that are easily handled or do not have an intensity about them. The brain will still go there or it may not, but it just maybe a nuisance or the new pathway can easily take over. Or you may just need to tell yourself, “okay, I’m not in that situation…I can handle this…I am not going to die/get hurt.” Then, deal with the situation in a more “normal.” manner. It has taken much therapy and medications to try to learn how to cope and learn new ways of managing my life.
The following are myths taken from PsychCentral,
Myth: PTSD is only seen in people with “weak characters” who are unable to cope with difficult situations in the same way that most of us do.
Fact: PTSD is a human response to markedly abnormal situations, and it involves specific chemical changes in the brain that occur in response to a person experiencing a traumatic event. Many of the symptoms of PTSD seem to be a direct result of such brain changes.
Myth: All of us have been through frightening experiences and have at least one symptom of PTSD as a result of that experience.
Fact: Although memories of frightening experiences may be similar to symptoms of PTSD (e.g., vivid memories), most persons do not have the severity of symptoms or impairment associated with PTSD. The specific brain-based responses seen in PTSD differ from those seen in normal anxiety. Similarly, the experiences of normal anxiety and of PTSD are markedly different.
Myth: Stress reactions to trauma exist, but these should not be considered as a serious medical problem.
Fact: PTSD is a medical disorder that can sometimes cause serious disability. Persons with PTSD often also have co-occurring mood, anxiety, and substance-related disorders. In addition, these people may have significant difficulty at their job, in their personal relationships, or other social interactions.
The National Institute for Mental Health reports, co-occurring depression, alcohol or other substance abuse, or another anxiety disorder are not uncommon. The likelihood of treatment success is increased when these other conditions are appropriately identified and treated as well. Headaches, gastrointestinal complaints immune system problems, dizziness, chest pain, or discomfort in other parts of the body are common. Often, doctors treat the symptoms without being aware that they stem from PTSD.
To obtain much more complete information you can go to one of the following links:
http://www.medicinenet.com/posttraumatic_stress_disorder/article.htm
http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/ptsd
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml
http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/index.jsp
Hey CC!
Thanks for posting on this. I have a few things to share.
Firstly, while I’m still dealing with the ‘fall out’ of depression, my PTSD has pretty much been kicked to the curb! At least, so far so good.
In the last few months I’ve been having a therapy called EMDR (Eye Movement Densensitisation Reprocessing) and it has literally worked wonders for me. I’ve written a couple of posts about it on my blog here:
http://svasti.wordpress.com/2009/03/04/wave-it-all-about/
http://svasti.wordpress.com/2009/03/06/emdr-and-me/
I also wrote a post trying to explain PTSD a little here:
http://svasti.wordpress.com/2009/03/09/never-ending-nightmare/
The biggest thing I’ve learned (and this might sound strange) is that PTSD is happening within my own mind. Its not external, although it really feels that way. That was the best thing I learned, because if I’m doing this to myself, then I have a chance at stopping it.
And as skeptical as I was of EMDR, it honestly helped me a lot. Apparently for those who have a discrete incidenct of trauma, it can work very quickly (like me). For someone with ongoing (over years) trauma, it can take much longer to resolve.
Also, I found a blog called ‘Parasites of the Mind’ by a lady called Michelle. She has just been writing a whole series of PTSD related posts in the last month with lots of resources and guest writers:
http://parasitesofthemind.blogspot.com/
PTSD is definitely not something that affects only weak people, it can happen to anyone (as I found out). And its probably the hardest thing I’ve had to deal with because it made me feel so out of control.
But it is possible to make it out the other side. My hope for anyone dealing with PTSD is that they get the help they need sooner rather than later.
Thanks Svasti, good insights indeed.
Never (thankfully) having ever suffered in such a way it can be difficult to comprehend what you have no experience of.
And let’s face it, the average person often prefers to turn the other cheek when confronted by something they don’t know, don’t understand, and are semi (wholly) scared / intimidated by it as a consequence.
And good for you CC, however difficult it may be, you ARE dealing with it.
Cheers girls!
FF
Thank you FF. I really appreciate your comment. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy.
I agree with CC – thanks for the comment, and I wouldn’t wish PTSD on anyone.
But the other misnomer is that it only happens in really extreme situations (like war, witnessing a murder, nearly dying or sexual abuse). My experience was the result of one night of physical assault only. I was more suprised than anyone else to receive that diagnosis!
Its very true – most people turn the other cheek and never try to understand. So once again, thanks to CC for highlighting the issue here on GSTF.
Hi CC,
I’ve just the one question, what’s an existential crisis?
@Svasti I genuinely am pleased that you’ve found a treatment that’s worked for you. It sounds like you’re getting to a place that you really want to be.
I found the remark about learning that it’s ‘only in your head’ interesting as I’ve never thought it to be any other way?
Is that what happens when you have it? That you think its something else entirely?
Hi Lib,
Yes, PTSD can feel like its something that’s happening to you from an outside force. Especially if the experiences/flashbacks are strong enough.
My theory on why that is, has to do with the fact that the original stimulus was external. And when a flashback is entirely overwhelming, it feels as if the trauma you experienced is happening right now.
Of course, to someone who hasn’t experienced a PTSD flashback, it would make sense that ‘its all in your head’. And it does to me now. But while I was in the grip of the ongoing nightmare of PTSD, no… it felt very much like Groundhog Day, and fully outside of my control.
Thanks for the insights Svasti and for bringing this to the garden…parasites of the mind is spot on, another great blog.
What can be done to alleviate the suffering if it is ‘ in the head’….
What therapy / remedies have you tried?
You’re welcome. And yes, Parasites of the Mind is an awesome blog.
There’s a whole range of therapies and in fact, I sort of have a plan to write up my various experiences some time.
I started with talk therapy, then I had some kinesiology (which was awesome). I didn’t do anything for a while after that, mistakenly thinking it would just take time to heal. Wrong!
The most important thing to do is get help, but ironically it can be one of the toughest things to do – reach out for support.
Eventually I started more talk therapy again, this time with someone who is specialist in dealing with trauma. I also reccomend massage and acupuncture as complimentary treatments to support the body while you go through something like this.
Once we reached a blockage she couldn’t get passed, she referred me to receive EMDR. Which has been an enormous and miraculous experience for me.
There are plenty more treatment types, and its important to find what works for you as no two people are the same.
I am a very, very firm believer in getting help (done it with 2 kids now — it’s saved their lives). I’m also a firm believer in books that can help, as a supplement or maybe as stand-alone. An expert in the field has written a book about Thought Field Therapy and its non-drug, non-invasive, non-cognitive (and safe!) techniques to help end the suffering from traumatic stress. Then the book (No Open Wound: Heal Traumatic Stress Now) helps guide people towards a complete recovery. All wounds are not equal, of course — and though the focus of this book is about traumatic stress, you can use the treatments to heal yourself of phobias, anxiety, etc.
Hi Liz and welcome to flowers…
Loving that avatar of yours!
Thanks!
It’s shocking to know that each year more than 17 million Americans will suffer with an anxiety disorder. yet this is something that people tend to overlook. Great post!