Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Analysis Essay (Essay Sample)

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
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1 Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that emerges in individuals who have been exposed to traumatic experiences such as child abuse, warfare, sexual assault, terrorist attacks, or serious injuries, among others. Regarding the disorder's main causes, PTSD has perhaps existed in situations where mankind has experienced trauma. Trauma experiences may have temporary or permanent impacts on individuals; hence, the need for early diagnosis. PTSD can affect anyone irrespective of their age, ethnicity, culture, or nationality.
History
According to Friedman, Keane & Resick (2007), PTSD has been documented in different eras, with the disorder being associated with war in the 1800s as 'soldier's fatigue.' Research through medical literature on PTSD as a mental disorder was taken seriously after the First and Second World Wars. The disorder was referred to as the 'shell shock' with treatment including electric shocks to suppress the trauma. It was until the 1970s that researchers began studying war, the holocaust, and domestic violence. Notably, the American Psychiatric Association played a major role by categorizing PTSD in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III). This move created room for more research in psychiatric theories and practices.
Theories associated with PTSD
Medical and scientific research has been adopted to comprehend the occurrence of PTSD in some cases. PSTD theories explain different aspects of the disorder, such as levels, thoughts, behavior, and emotions, among others. According to Nijdam & Wittmann (2015), social and psychological theories provide substantial comprehension of the disorder due to their relation to mental health. Bisson (2009) has highlighted the Emotion Processing Theory and its relation to PTSD. The theory states that fear is identified in the memory as an aspect of escaping danger; hence, the lack of its control could lead to PTSD. Anxiety and distress caused by each event may form trauma memories with different triggers. The processing of emotions such as fear and anxiety will determine the level of trauma that will be associated with a situation. In the course of emotional processing, the mind sets triggers related to the traumatic situation; therefore, an individual could respond extremely to harmless stimuli (Bisson, 2009).
According to Bisson (2009), the Dual Representation Theory can also be used to understand PTSD. The theory was developed by Charles Brewin. Dual Representation Theory recommends that PTSD symptoms can be caused by memory processes associated with specific traumatic events. The theory emphasizes the presence of two memory systems that include the situational accessible and verbal accessible systems. According to Bisson (2009), the situational accessible memory cannot be voluntarily recalled and consists of unconsciously processed information. As a result, fear caused by trauma memories affects the processing of information leading to uncontrollable emotions, appraisals, and cognitions related to the situation. The processing of information unconsciously prevents control; hence, PTSD can be triggered by any events leading to flashbacks and nightmares (Bisson, 2009).
2 Statistics
The diversity in causes of PTSD presents a basis for variations in data. Studies have presented data on the prevalence of PTSD among populations. Age and gender are part of the demographic factors that can be used to assess the prevalence of PTSD. Initially, PTSD statistics were based on soldiers and veterans after the situation of combat. However, the increasing causes of PTSD have presented a wide variety of data on different aspects associated with the disorder.
In the U.S., 7%-8% of the population will experience PTSD in their lifetime. This means that 7 or 8 out of 8 individuals will suffer from PTSD. Moreover, this rate will increase due to variables such as the number of trauma-related situations. For instance, increased cases of terrorism, domestic violence, combat, or child abuse will increase the percentage of the population suffering from PTSD. According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, an average of 8 million American adults suffers from PTSD annually. However, any increase in traumatic situations reflects more cases of the disorder (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2021).
Regarding gender, 10% of women compared to 4% of men develop PTSD. Women have reported more traumatic events compared to men whereby they have experienced sexual molestation, rape, domestic violence, combat, physical abuse, and attacks. On the other hand, men suffer traumatic situations in combat, physical attacks, and childhood neglect. The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, in their studies, states that 9% of female and 15% of male veterans suffered from PTSD in their lifetime (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2021). These statistics show that the seriousness of a traumatic event will reflect the number of affected persons. Combat is a mentally challenging event with traumatic experiences related to the death of enemies and colleagues.
Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasized PTSD as a mental disorder affecting different countries despite their health status. WHO estimates that an average of 3.6% of the global population suffers from PTSD annually (World Health Organization, 2021). The organization has categorized traumatic events on the percentage of a situation that contributes to the development of PTSD. For instance, trauma to a loved one contributes to 12.5%, while accidents contribute 17.7% (World Health Organization, 2021). Witnessing violence and exposure to war contribute to 18.8% and 16.2%, respectively (World Health Organization, 2021).
3 Diagnosis criteria of PTSD
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), as revised by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), has presented detailed criteria for categorizing PTSD. APA's fifth edition has expounded on the criteria of children older than six years, adults, and adolescents (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (U.S.), 2014). Additionally, the DSM-5 has developed a subtype to explain criteria for children less than six years old. The criteria contain detailed standards as explained below according to the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (US), (2014).
* Exposure to actual traumatic events or stressor
The situations could include sexual violence, serious injury, or threats of death. Exposure to the events should happen in four ways that include direct exposure, witnessing in person as the traumatic situations occur to others, learning, or direct experiences on a situation. Notably, learning happens when an individual knows about a traumatic event happening to a close friend or family member. Witnessing could occur in first responders who experience repeated exposures to traumatic situations.
* There must be the presence of at least one of the following intrusion symptoms related to traumatic situations.
First, there must exist intrusive, recurrent, and involuntary memories about a traumatic situation. Secondly, recurrent distressing dreams must exist, and the contents of the dreams should be related to the traumatic situation. Thirdly, flashbacks or dissociative reactions should exist where the traumatic situations occur to be recurring. Fourthly, intense psychological distress should occur in cases where the individual is exposed to events with the same aspects of the traumatic situation. Lastly, marked psychological reactions should exist if the individual is exposed to the same feature of the traumatic situation (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (US), 2014).
* The presence of persistent avoidance of stimuli related to the experienced traumatic event
The avoidance could occur by keeping away from distressing thoughts, feelings, or memories related to the event. Individuals could also avoid external reminders of the traumatic event such as situations, places, conversations, objects, or activities.
* The presence of negative adjustments in moods and cognitions related to the traumatic situations or the worsening after the traumatic situation has occurred.
The alterations could be characterized by persistent negative emotional state and distorted cognitions, persistent exaggerated negative facts of the world or oneself, inability to remember vital features of the traumatic situation, the feeling of detachment, or persistent inability to experience positive thoughts.
* The existence of marked adjustments in individual reactivity and arousal related to the traumatic situation and worsening after the situation has occurred.
The alterations could be characterized by at least two of the following occurrences. Reckless behaviors exaggerated rattle response, hyper-vigilance, self-destructive behavior, sleep disturbance, and problems with concentration.
* Duration of the disturbance
The presence of criteria b, c, d, and e as described above should have lasted for more than one month.
* Disturbances and functional significance
The indications should have caused clinically significant distress or cause impairment in occupational and social functioning in the patient.
* Attribution
The disturbances should not be caused by the psychological impacts of a substance such as alcohol or medication.
Lastly, the American Psychiatric Association ha...