Despite the unfortunate prevalence of PTSD among the population, there still may be many who may be wondering, what is PTSD? The letters PTSD stand for post traumatic stress disorder. PTSD is generally triggered when an individual has survived a traumatizing event of some sort. It is commonly associated with soldiers who have been through horrific wartime events, but it can also be caused by other types of trauma, especially in the young.
Neglect, physical and sexual abuse, disasters, and a host of other occurrences can be the cause for an individual’s PTSD. For children, the likelihood of PTSD manifestation is increased or decreased by sever peripheral factors after trauma has occurred. The way in which parents and others close to the child react can play a big role in the severity of their condition. How close to home the trauma took place is another factor which can effect an individual’s PTSD.
Though the signs and symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder may manifest themselves differently from individual to individual, there is some common ground that can help mental health professionals diagnose and treat the disorder. Depending on the age of the patient, symptoms may include flashbacks, jumbled memories, repetition of traumatic events, aggressive behaviors, and/or impulsive decision making.
Fortunately, modern science has allowed specialists to understand this disorder to a certain degree, and finding a good PTSD psychiatrist is just a click away if you use the internet. Just type something like “PTSD psychiatrist near me” and you will be presented with several psychiatrist’s sites. And there is a lot of information which parents and loved ones might find useful when trying to help an individual suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.
