By: Deborah Amewoyi
Have you ever witnessed or been a victim of a tragic incident? Do you repeatedly get flashbacks from those incidents either through dreams or perhaps in a trance, Are you aware your current condition is a form of mental disorder. Let’s get into what Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Post traumatic stress disorder is a psychiatric condition that occurs to people who have experienced a traumatic event in the past. This disorder affects mental faculty of the individual who is either a victim of a traumatic event or have witnessed a traumatic event at a point in time.
Often times, discussions around PTSD do not pop out when mental health disorders are mentioned. Statistically, according to the National Center for PTSD, “about 60% of men and 50% of women experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime.” Data from the World Health Organization has also indicated that 250 million people around the world have been affected by this condition.
Individuals suffering from this disorder may experience some symptoms such as
Flashbacks: Where individuals or victims get constant reminders of tragic incident that occurred in their past. They envision the events as though the are happening now and their bodies constantly react to them.
Nightmares: Victims tend to dream about their tragic incident when they sleep.
Severe anxiety: Individuals tend to worry alot that a similar tragic event may occur again.
Hypervigilant: Individuals are always on the look out for potential harm or tragic experiences which can lead to stress.
In as much as these symptoms are taken lightly, They can escalate leading to other mental health conditions like depression and substance abuse disorders.
Post traumatic stress disorders comes in various forms. Persons in the military, fire service personnel, children in abusive homes and individuals who have recovered from a near death experience etc have higher chances of ptsd.
Relatives and society are supposed to avoid stigmatization of these individuals and help them grow out of their tragic experiences by showing them love.
Persons suffering from post traumatic stress disorder if having severe traumatic encounters must see a health professional for proper diagnosis and treatment.
