{"id":1270,"date":"2019-12-05T08:12:25","date_gmt":"2019-12-05T08:12:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/?p=1270"},"modified":"2020-03-28T10:19:02","modified_gmt":"2020-03-28T10:19:02","slug":"post-traumatic-stress-syndrome-ptsd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/diseases\/post-traumatic-stress-syndrome-ptsd\/","title":{"rendered":"Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome, PTSD"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>It can be difficult to feel good again after experiencing scary events such as accidents, war, and sexual or physical violence.\u00a0You may have symptoms such as nightmares, having difficulty concentrating and being relieved.\u00a0With the right treatment, many people with <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">post-traumatic stress disorder<\/span> have good chances to feel good again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Relative support and a safe environment also play a major role in getting rid of symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In <strong>post-traumatic stress syndrome<\/strong>, the symptoms of children differ from the symptoms of adults.&nbsp;The treatments are also partly different for adults and children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Those who have been involved in frightening, abusive or shocking events may subsequently have mental symptoms.&nbsp;Especially situations where you have feared for your life can evoke strong feelings of fear or fear.&nbsp;You may also feel mentally ill if you have witnessed unpleasant events or have experienced a difficult birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For some who feel mentally ill, the symptoms eventually disappear by themselves, others may suffer psychological trauma.&nbsp;This means that you have your symptoms and that they do not decrease without treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The condition is called <em>post-traumatic stress disorder<\/em> or PTSD, which is an abbreviation of English&#8217;s &#8220;post-traumatic stress disorder&#8221;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are examples of events that can lead to post-traumatic stress syndrome:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>robbery<\/li><li>assault<\/li><li>sexual assault<\/li><li>accidents<\/li><li>natural disasters<\/li><li>torture<\/li><li>war events<\/li><li>difficult experiences during intensive care or operations<\/li><li>a difficult birth.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Symptoms of PTSD<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>At PTSD, it is common for you to have repeated and intrusive memories of the scary that has happened.\u00a0It&#8217;s called flashbacks.\u00a0Then you feel like you are in a scary situation again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During a flashback, you can relive the impressions you experienced during the scary event.\u00a0It can be sounds, detailed memories or other impressions, which make the experience feel very real.\u00a0Reliving the event often causes strong\u00a0anxiety and stress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can be triggered by something similar to the event<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Flashbacks or memories can be triggered by situations or events that are reminiscent of scary experiences.\u00a0It is also called trigger stimuli and can trigger your PTSD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you have PTSD, it is common for you to dream of nightmares that cause strong anxiety.\u00a0Sometimes dreams are about what happened, sometimes they are incomprehensible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Common symptoms&nbsp;of post-traumatic stress disorder<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You may also have one or more of the following common <strong>symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>You try to avoid anything reminiscent of the incident.\u00a0It can cause you to isolate yourself from other people.<\/li><li>You may have memory loss that is usually limited to the time just before, during or after the event.\u00a0<\/li><li>You may feel depressed or indifferent and unable to engage in what is happening in your everyday life.<\/li><li>You may feel tense, be frightened or easily irritated.\u00a0You may also have an outbreak of anger, difficulty to concentrate or difficulty sleeping.\u00a0You may have difficulty learning new things.<\/li><li>You may have thoughts of suicide.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Other more unusual <em>symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder<\/em> are feelings of unreality or a change in how you experience yourself.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may also have physical problems.&nbsp;Here are some examples of these symptoms:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Pain in the head, back or other pain caused by tense muscles.<\/li><li>Stomach or diarrhea.<\/li><li>Palpitations or hypertension.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">It may take some time before the symptoms are noticed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The symptoms often occur within the next six months after the scary event, sometimes also later, and can be severe.&nbsp;But it can also take longer, up to decades after the trauma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Several difficult events and complex PTSD<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>People with multiple traumas may become more sensitive to various psychological stresses.&nbsp;Someone who has survived several scary events, but who seems to have a functioning everyday life can suddenly feel very bad during more common setbacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Experiencing several shaking events such as escape and loss of close relatives at a young age can lead to a severe form of PTSD or complex PTSD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another common cause of a more complex form of PTSD is if you as a child have been subjected to sexual abuse or repeated abuse.\u00a0It is particularly stressful if there are\u00a0any relatives who are perpetrators.\u00a0Being betrayed, abandoned or seriously offended as a child can also lead to a complex form of PTSD.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When and where should I seek care?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Contact a\u00a0health care center if you have experienced one or more stressful events and are not feeling well.\u00a0You can contact many receptions by\u00a0logging in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your health care provider makes an assessment of whether you need psychiatric care and, in that case, writes a referral to a psychiatric clinic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Investigation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To get the right treatment, your doctor needs to check if you have PTSD or any other form of mental illness.&nbsp;Doctor and you for a call where you can tell you what trouble you have.&nbsp;The doctor often also uses questionnaires to make the right diagnosis.&nbsp;Some forms must be filled in by the doctor, while other questionnaires will be answered by you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Your physical health is also important<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In conjunction with PTSD, you may have physical problems.&nbsp;Therefore, to rule out that you have a physical illness, your doctor needs to examine your physical health by taking blood pressure and heart rate, weighing you, listening to your heart and lungs and taking blood tests to see if your values \u200b\u200bare good.&nbsp;Always tell your doctor if you have any physical symptoms.&nbsp;Then the doctor can examine and treat you in good time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Talk to your doctor if you have any other problems<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Tell your doctor if you are\u00a0addicted to alcohol, nicotine or other drugs.\u00a0Your health care center can help you get rid of the addiction and give you advice on how to live a healthier life.\u00a0You may be offered call support, training to prevent relapses and sometimes also medicines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In some county councils, you can turn to an\u00a0alcohol or addiction clinic yourself that can provide you with care and support to stop using alcohol and other drugs.\u00a0Your health care center can also write a referral to a specialist hospital reception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Always tell the health care provider if you have ever injured yourself, ie if you have cut yourself or scratched yourself on the body.&nbsp;Also, tell the person who treats you if you are often depressed or have anxiety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have a&nbsp;self-harm behavior&nbsp;or addiction, you often need to be treated first for these disorders before you can be treated for PTSD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Treatment at PTSD<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most people who have experienced scary events will feel good again after some time, sometimes even without treatment.\u00a0But it is important that you seek treatment if the symptoms do not diminish, as it can be harmful to go for a long time with untreated PTSD.\u00a0There are treatments that help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What therapies help with PTSD?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A treatment that has shown a good effect in PTSD is a special form of\u00a0cognitive-behavioral therapy, KBT,\u00a0\u00a0which is called trauma-focused KBT.\u00a0The treatment means that you get support in approaching the traumatic memories, slowly.\u00a0You may be exposed to situations similar to the event but in a safe context.\u00a0Reliving what is uncomfortable and causing anxiety occurs together with your therapist, either by visiting places or situations in reality or through thoughts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another form of <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder<\/span> is eye movement therapy or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, EMDR.\u00a0In EMDR, eye movements are used in connection with the activation of the traumatic memory.\u00a0This means that the therapist asks you to think about the scary that has happened while making a series of eye movements.\u00a0The eye movements seem to help the brain process trauma memories and in this way reduce symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are also other forms of <strong>treatment at PTSD<\/strong>.\u00a0What treatment you can receive depends on your problems and you as a person.\u00a0Other therapies that care can offer include narrative exposure therapy or\u00a0psychodynamic psychotherapy.\u00a0Narrative exposure therapy is about recounting the scary and getting used to the strong emotions that arise in connection with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Treatment can be started with so-called stabilization<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes you may need preparatory conversation and relaxation before you can begin treatment.&nbsp;The aim is to give you greater security so that you can handle the scary events.&nbsp;This part of the treatment is called stabilization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also get psychosocial help to create good everyday routines.\u00a0The help can be about strengthening your contacts with family, friends or other relatives, getting support around the accommodation, arranging to school, getting started with good sleep routines or anything else that is needed to make life work again.\u00a0You who have been subjected to sexual or physical violence can often begin the psychotherapeutic treatment with stabilization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For some, stabilization may be sufficient for the symptoms to disappear.&nbsp;Stabilization is a basic therapy part that your therapist needs and you may need to return to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The care can give you knowledge about PTSD<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>An important part of the stabilizing treatment is education about PTSD.&nbsp;It gives you knowledge of what happens in the brain and body when you are exposed to traumatizing events.&nbsp;You can also learn ways to reduce stress or fear when you&#8217;re not feeling well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The training can also help you understand that symptoms of PTSD are common reactions to stressful events and that most people react the same way if they are exposed to something that is very unpleasant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is often possible that relatives also participate in education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Treatment helps you to process difficult memories<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When you deal with trauma, you slowly and repeatedly encounter the painful memories.\u00a0This can be done using, for example, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy or eye movement therapy.\u00a0The purpose is to reduce the fears and fears associated with your memories.\u00a0They will eventually belong to the past instead of being constantly disruptive in everyday life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is common at PTSD to want to avoid things that are associated with what happened.&nbsp;It can be a place, a word or a name.&nbsp;The therapist can, through so-called gradual exposure, help you to dare more and more with what creates discomfort.&nbsp;In this way, for example, the sound or location can be linked to new experiences.&nbsp;The awkward memories disappear when you stop avoiding what&#8217;s unpleasant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Complicated forms of post-traumatic stress syndrome can usually be treated in the same way as other diagnoses, but it may take longer.\u00a0A painful memory can awaken the memory of another and it can then, in turn, elicit another.\u00a0The trauma treatment is then about identifying and working with the parts of the memory that are recurring and the most troublesome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">You get to practice the techniques you have learned<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>After the processing, a final treatment part remains, which is also called the consolidation phase.&nbsp;Here you should make use of what you and the therapist have been working on to get rid of trauma symptoms and avoid any problems in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Drug treatment can help with PTSD<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You may also be offered drug treatment.\u00a0It is mainly drugs for depression used in the treatment of PTSD.\u00a0Drugs are often prescribed in combination with psychotherapy.\u00a0In addition to feeling less depressed, many feel that the drug makes them less sensitive to unpleasant impressions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What do I do if the trouble does not decrease?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ask your health care center to write a referral to a\u00a0psychiatric outpatient clinic if you find that your problems do not decrease even though you have received treatment or if the problems are very severe.\u00a0For some people with PTSD, the symptoms tend to be alleviated after six to twelve months of treatment.\u00a0Others may be completely free of symptoms after a few months of treatment.\u00a0You may sometimes need to be admitted to a psychiatric ward if you have severe problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">You can get support and help if you are exposed to violence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The health care provider may ask you if you are subject to violence.\u00a0The reason is that they want to find out if there is a current threat in your life that requires you to help.\u00a0If you are exposed to\u00a0violence in close relationships, health care can ensure that you come into contact with the social service that can support and help you in different ways.\u00a0For example, social services can arrange sheltered accommodation for you if necessary.\u00a0There is also help for perpetrators of violence who are prepared to receive support to change their lives.\u00a0It is the county council or the home municipality that has information about which local organizations are in your vicinity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What can I do for myself?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The recovery from PTSD works differently from person to person.&nbsp;Some have an easy time talking to friends or other relatives and feel better about it.&nbsp;Others need support to put words into what has happened.&nbsp;Try to be patient with yourself and your emotions if it takes time to get rid of the hassles that you experience as stressful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Physical activity can relieve<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Use your experience from past difficult situations.&nbsp;Do things that you know you are doing well.&nbsp;&nbsp;For example,&nbsp;physical activity&nbsp;is something that can relieve the symptoms of mental illness.&nbsp;It can be good to move around or work out with others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Take care of yourself<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When you notice that the mental and physical tension is increasing, it is good to try to\u00a0relax with the help of calm and deep breaths.\u00a0It is important to breathe into the abdomen so that the lower abdomen moves outward and to avoid superficial and rapid breathing in the upper chest.\u00a0Eat\u00a0regularly and a balanced diet.\u00a0Good sleeping habits\u00a0facilitate recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Avoid alcohol and other drugs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It is important that you avoid alcohol and other drugs after one or more traumatizing events.\u00a0You may get\u00a0addicted\u00a0and may then need to be treated for both PTSD and addiction.\u00a0Then the treatment takes longer.\u00a0Being affected also makes it more difficult to process the trauma even if you can temporarily feel better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Meeting others can provide positive experiences<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember not to shy away from social situations as it can make the trouble worse.&nbsp;Wanting to avoid social contexts that create discomfort is natural when you have been exposed to trauma.&nbsp;But it also reduces the chance of positive experiences and can lead to you not getting rid of the symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Being close to someone with PTSD<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Take the time and show that you care when someone has PTSD and is feeling bad.&nbsp;Listen when they are ready to talk about their experiences, even if the story is repeated a number of times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Someone who has experienced one or more traumas can easily be irritated.&nbsp;Do not take it personally and be as calm as possible.&nbsp;Avoid pushing someone to tell them about difficult memories if they themselves are not ready for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can advise the person to seek help at a\u00a0health care center.\u00a0You can help book times if needed and if you like.\u00a0You may need to encourage the person to seek help several times.\u00a0Another way to provide support is to attend the reception if the person seeking care wants it.\u00a0It may be good for someone to follow and hear what is being said and can act as support afterward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Seek help yourself if you are not well<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Contact your healthcare provider if you who support someone with PTSD need help yourself.&nbsp;If the person who is ill has had contact with the care, you can sometimes get support from the health care staff as a close relative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Own time is important<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Take your own time if you feel your needs come completely in the dark.&nbsp;For example, you can stick to activities you like, such as taking a walk or meeting your own friends.&nbsp;Creating your own space does not mean that you are less involved in the person who is feeling bad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to get in touch with others in similar situations, you can contact a\u00a0\u00a0support organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Influence and participate in your care<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You can seek care at any healthcare center you want throughout the country.\u00a0This also applies if you want to seek care at open specialist clinics.\u00a0Sometimes a referral is required.\u00a0Being able to influence and participate in their care is a right that is regulated by the\u00a0Patient Act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ask if you do not understand<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In order for you to be involved in your health care, it is important that you understand what the health care provider says.\u00a0Ask questions if you don&#8217;t understand.\u00a0Once you have received information about your treatment you can give your consent or express a yes in another way.\u00a0You can also refuse treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fixed care contact and interpreter can be a good support<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You are entitled to\u00a0permanent care contact if you have contact with many different persons in connection with your care.\u00a0It is a person who among other things helps to coordinate your care.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It can be difficult to feel good again after experiencing scary events such as accidents, war and sexual or physical violence. You may have symptoms such as nightmares, having difficulty concentrating and being relieved. With the right treatment, many people with post-traumatic stress disorder have good chances to feel good again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,1724,1654],"tags":[1762,1764,1765,1766],"class_list":["post-1270","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-diseases","category-anxiety","category-mental-illnesses-and-disorders","tag-post-traumatic-stress-syndrome","tag-ptsd","tag-ptsd-symptoms","tag-ptsd-treatment"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1270","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1270"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1270\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4146,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1270\/revisions\/4146"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1270"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1270"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1270"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}