Module 4 SLP: Mental Disorders Causes Nature and Treatment

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
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There is usually a common bottom-line between a victim of war, a soldier and a victim of torture. All of them at one time must have gone through some mental or emotional turmoil, in what constitutes Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).This can be defined as a condition in which one undergoes psychological turmoil as a result of a shocking or traumatic experience that he or she experienced at one time. It is a well-researched mental disorder that tends to be more chronic among the veterans of war. Initially, this disease used to be taken rather lightly, as people only associated it to shock or severe shock. It was classified under the diagnostic statistical manual of psychological ailments (DSM).According to DSM classification; PTSD is taken as an anxiety disorder, even though it's commonly assumed to be a stress disorder. It's manifested in individuals who have come across or gone through life-threatening ordeals.
This might involve them or the people close to them. Its diagnosis as well requires a particular stressor; this is according to DSM. This stressor must, however, be related in some way, to an active, impactful counter response, be it horror or fear. The manifestations of PTSD are constant flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, and nightmares and basically, emotional and psychological hurt. Such primary symptoms are usually the prelude to the secondary symptoms, which include emotional and physical detachment, and loss of interest in many aspects of life. These secondary symptoms are what indicate the development of chronic PTSD.A victim of PTSD eventually becomes numb emotionally; he or she loses all the importance of feeling or sensitivity.
One becomes easily irritable, gets easily and quickly startled, has extremely poor levels of concentration, and has an irregular sleeping pattern. The disorder has a very drastic effect on a person’s life, as it becomes quite low quality and troublesome. According to Prolo et al. (2005), the twenty-first century is likely to witness a steady rise in the global incidences of PTSD. In the United States, for example, 5% of men and 10% of women suffer from the disorder, and this sharply rises to 15.2% among the war veterans, especially those from Vietnam. The sad part of it all is that the onset of PTSD also opens the doors for other ailments as well. For example, three-quarters of all the American war veterans diagnosed with PTSD, are also later on diagnosed with problems such ...