Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Essay -- Health, Diseases, Stress

Friedrich Nietzsche once said, â€Å"That which does not kill us makes us stronger.†(Bailey, Eileen) While this is often the case, certain tragedies are simply too overwhelming for the body and mind to recover from. Instead of making one stronger, some things leave the human body weakened both emotionally and physically. When faced with gargantuan amounts of stress, some people have mental or emotional breakdowns resulting in post-traumatic stress disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder, commonly known as PTSD, is an anxiety disorder that can occur after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic or life threatening event that causes intense feelings of fear or helplessness. PTSD affects most people differently depending on the individual, but most of the symptoms are similar. These symptoms can be separated into three main categories: re-experiencing symptoms, avoidance behaviors, and symptoms of hypervigilance.(Thomas 17) Re-experiencing symptoms include nightmares, upsetting memories, or painful flashbacks. After working on machines and tanks, many veterans who return home have associated the smell of diesel fuel with flashbacks of combat and gory battles. Avoidance behaviors are also common in PTSD patients. People often become frightened of everyday simple tasks because of trauma they have experienced. Some people are terrified to ride in cars because they have been involved in horrible car wrecks. Hypervigilance simply involves a person being alert or on edge at all times. (Thomas 18-21) PTSD can be caused by many different things but some of the common causes are war, terrorism, rape, a severe accident, or natural disasters. The National Center for PTSD said that about 60 percent of men and 50 percent of women will exp... ...uggling to get through the day. If a person is putting too much energy into balancing their lives with therapy and stress relief then medication is the next step. Currently the Food and Drug Administration has approved only two medications fot the treatment of PTSD; Sertraline(Zoloft) and Paroxeine(Paxil). They are both anti-depressant drugs called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRIs. They work by blocking the site on neurons that remove serotonin from the synapses, a process called reuptake. This allows the body access to more serotonin. It has a calming effect on the body and relieves the PTSD symptoms of hypervigilance and intrusive thoughts, as well as countering depression and panic attacks.(Thomas 60) PTSD is very serious and it affects people everyday. Some events are simply too traumatic for one’s mind and body to handle. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Essay -- Health, Diseases, Stress Friedrich Nietzsche once said, â€Å"That which does not kill us makes us stronger.†(Bailey, Eileen) While this is often the case, certain tragedies are simply too overwhelming for the body and mind to recover from. Instead of making one stronger, some things leave the human body weakened both emotionally and physically. When faced with gargantuan amounts of stress, some people have mental or emotional breakdowns resulting in post-traumatic stress disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder, commonly known as PTSD, is an anxiety disorder that can occur after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic or life threatening event that causes intense feelings of fear or helplessness. PTSD affects most people differently depending on the individual, but most of the symptoms are similar. These symptoms can be separated into three main categories: re-experiencing symptoms, avoidance behaviors, and symptoms of hypervigilance.(Thomas 17) Re-experiencing symptoms include nightmares, upsetting memories, or painful flashbacks. After working on machines and tanks, many veterans who return home have associated the smell of diesel fuel with flashbacks of combat and gory battles. Avoidance behaviors are also common in PTSD patients. People often become frightened of everyday simple tasks because of trauma they have experienced. Some people are terrified to ride in cars because they have been involved in horrible car wrecks. Hypervigilance simply involves a person being alert or on edge at all times. (Thomas 18-21) PTSD can be caused by many different things but some of the common causes are war, terrorism, rape, a severe accident, or natural disasters. The National Center for PTSD said that about 60 percent of men and 50 percent of women will exp... ...uggling to get through the day. If a person is putting too much energy into balancing their lives with therapy and stress relief then medication is the next step. Currently the Food and Drug Administration has approved only two medications fot the treatment of PTSD; Sertraline(Zoloft) and Paroxeine(Paxil). They are both anti-depressant drugs called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRIs. They work by blocking the site on neurons that remove serotonin from the synapses, a process called reuptake. This allows the body access to more serotonin. It has a calming effect on the body and relieves the PTSD symptoms of hypervigilance and intrusive thoughts, as well as countering depression and panic attacks.(Thomas 60) PTSD is very serious and it affects people everyday. Some events are simply too traumatic for one’s mind and body to handle.