What is PTSD?

Posttraumatic stress disorder (or PTSD for short) has become a more widely recognized mental health condition in recent decades, but what is PTSD?  I hope to provide you with some basic and insightful information below.PTSD was originally a term applied to soldiers returning from war, but it wasn't always called PTSD as it is today.  Previously, the cluster of symptoms was categorized as "shell shock" or "soldier's heart".  Thankfully, psychology began to recognize that not only soldiers could experience posttraumatic stress disorder and began to more acutely study and accurately define a condition that affects about 8 million people each year in the United States. PTSD can be a crippling condition but can be treated effectively with a supportive therapist.But what is PTSD exactly? The current criteria for PTSD include the following:

1. Exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violence
2. Symptoms following the event such as intrusive memories, recurring dreams, flashbacks or other bodily reactions to cues related to the event
3. Avoidance of things associated with the event (for example: similar or actual location, people or related feelings or thoughts)
4. A generally negative change in thoughts or mood following the event(s)
5. Changes in level of reactivity or heightened arousal beginning or worsening after the event(s) (for example: being startled very easily, feeling "on edge" or having difficult sleeping)

All these symptoms must be met for a period longer than a month and must occur following the activating event(s).  Traditionalists typically view the development of PTSD as very rigid and involving "serious bodily injury", however myself, and many contemporary therapists, also view longstanding physical and emotional abuse as potential experiences leading up to the development of PTSD.Additionally, historically PTSD was thought to only affect those with direct experience of the event(s) but current criteria indicates that people who have witnessed, or know a close family or loved one being harmed, may experience PTSD as well.So what type of events do we think of relating to PTSD?

• Directly experienced the event(s) or witnessed the event(s)
• Had serious physical injury from the event(s)
• You believed you or a family member (or loved one) was in serious danger during the event(s)
• You felt helpless or otherwise had a severe reaction to the event(s) such as shaking, crying, or feeling apart from the surrounding area

Given the presented criteria, you can see how many of us in the totality of our life experiences could potentially be affected by PTSD at some point in our lives.  If you believe you or someone you love might be dealing with the criteria mentioned above, I recommend you seek out consultation with a therapist to discuss ongoing support. Even if you don't meet the diagnostic criteria of PTSD, there is always room to be healthier and feel liberated from experiences that may be haunting you or limiting your progress in life.