What Is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

It is well established that a traumatic or a stressful event, like for example a rape, a violence act, the lost of a beloved one, an armed conflict (war), etc. , can negatively impact our mental health and wellbeing. Consequences  could be:

Acute:

• Acute Stress Disorder: happens immediately after the trauma; can be treated by immediate psychotherapy

Delayed (until three years after the trauma):

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Psychosomatic diseases (insomnia, chronic pain…)
• Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD)
• Development of Behaviors (tobacco smoking, alcohol abuse, drug consumption, violence…)
• Suicide

The more the exposure is severe and repetitive, the higher is the incidence of mental disorders

PTSD* and Acute Stress Disorder are classified as “Trauma and Stressor-related Disorders” , with a common criterion, the exposure to a traumatic or stressful event.

30-70% of people who have lived in conflict zone (war) suffers from PTSD* and depression

An individual suffering from PTSD* may experience the following (for at least 1 month):

• Persistently re-experiences the traumatic event: unwanted upsetting memories, nightmares, flashbacks, emotional distress or physical reactivity after exposure to traumatic reminders
• Avoids trauma-related thoughts or feelings or trauma-related external reminders
• Negative alterations in cognition (thinking) and mood: negative thoughts, exaggerated blame about oneself or the world, negative affect, decreased interest in activities, feeling isolated
• Alterations in reactivity: irritability, agression, risky or destructive behaviors, hypervigilance, difficulty concentrating, difficulty sleeping
• Distress, functional impairement (social, occupational)
• Depersonalization: e.g., feeling as if “this is not happening to me” or like being in a dream
• Experience of unreality: e.g., “things are not real”

*Post Traumatic Stress Disorders