Post Traumatic Stress

1. Post Traumatic Stress Any age, you could be next….

2. PTSD • Post-traumatic stress disorder is a health condition that’s triggered by a terrifying event when the person experiences fear, terror, or helplessness. • 10% of adolescent girls and boys have PTSD. • 7.7 million adults out of 311 million in the U.S. have PTSD.

3. Events linked to PTSD Floods criminal assualted Fire natural disasters Death plan crashes Witness to murder any soldier who comes back Sexually assaulted from war.

4. Symptoms • Symptoms are grouped into three groups: • Intrusive memories • Avoidance and numbing • Increased anxiety or emotional arousal • Symptoms typically start within three months of a dramatic event but can start years after event

5. Avoidance symptoms • Trying to avoid thinking or talking about the traumatic event • Feeling emotionally numb • Avoiding activities you once enjoyed • Hopelessness about the future • Memory problems • Trouble concentrating • Difficulty maintaining close relationships

6. Symptoms of intrusive memories • Flashbacks or reliving the traumatic event for minutes or even days at a time. • Upsetting dreams about the traumatic event.

7. anxiety AND INCREASED EMOTIONAL AROUSAL • Irritability or anger • Overwhelming guilt or shame • Self-destructive behavior, such as drinking • Trouble sleeping • Being easily scared or frightened • Hearing or seeing things that aren’t there.

8. What is unknown about PTSD • It is not known why traumatic events cause PTSD in some people but not others. If you have a history of traumatic events, that could increase your chances of PTSD. So beware…….

9. Treatment • Desensitization: • This treatment helps reduce symptoms by encouraging you to remember the traumatic event and express your feelings about it. • Over time, memories of the event shouldbe less frightening. No guarantee.

10. Conclusion • Thank you for listening to our boring presentation! Have a good day!