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Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), More than Just Anxiety

After exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which the individual was exposed to extreme personal danger, an anxiety disorder by the name of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD can develop. Possible traumatic events leading to PTSD include but are not limited to, personal assaults like rape or mugging, accidents, military combat, or natural or human caused disaster. PTSD is an anxiety disorder and though there is an entirely different section on anxiety disorders listed below, we felt there was enough information on this disorder for it to be discussed independently.

	Quick Facts			People with PTSD

	Symptoms			Treatment

	Research

Cognitive-behavioral therapy, group therapy, and exposure therapy, have been identified as good treatments for this disorder. In these therapy sessions, the patient gradually and repeatedly relives the frightening experience under controlled conditions to help him or her work through the trauma. Medications have also been shown to help ease associated symptoms of depression and anxiety and help promote sleep. Research is being conducted to determine which treatments work best for which type of trauma.
Some studies show that giving people an opportunity to talk about their experiences very soon after a catastrophic event may reduce some of the symptoms of PTSD. A study of 12,000 schoolchildren who lived through a hurricane in Hawaii found that those who got counseling early on were doing much better 2 years later than those who did not.

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