The acronym PTSD stands for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It is a mental health disorder in which people suffer from flashbacks, nightmares, and intrusive thoughts and memories that seem to come unbidden to the victims. These memories, often of violent or tragic events, trigger symptoms like flashbacks, nightmares, and anxiety. In some cases, patients who suffer from PTSD have a decreased sense of smell, vision, and hearing, and become detached from their bodies. In severe cases, patients have difficulty sleeping, exhibit signs of extreme distress when interacting with other people, are unable to leave the house, and have difficulty concentrating, making regular and simple tasks like driving and attending school impossible.
Typically, PTSD starts in early adulthood and is associated with an assault, accident, or sexual assault. However, sometimes it is not until much later that victims realize they have the disorder. Often, sufferers go undiagnosed for months or even years, and only discover that they have PTSD after seeing a doctor or nurse practitioner for a health problem. Some sufferers even carry the disorder into adulthood, leading to depression and suicidal thoughts.
While not all patients with a brain injury undergo therapy, those who do usually find that they benefit from it. The disorder is not fully understood, but there is a good amount of research that points to biological and environmental factors as playing a role. People who experience brain injuries are more likely to develop PTSD than healthy patients. The condition appears to be related to the level of trauma and shock the brain has to endure, as well as changes in the brain itself, such as altered brain protein patterns and inflammation.
If a traumatic event occurs, such as a car accident, a knife attack, a fall, or even a domestic violence incident, the brain automatically processes the memory as a threat. Over time, this memory becomes etched in the victim’s mind and can trigger flashbacks, nightmares, and stress. In severe cases, PTSD patients may feel detached from their bodies, become suspicious and depressed, and exhibit physical symptoms such as headaches, insomnia, dizziness, stomach issues, and even nightmares. Often, PTSD victims will have difficulty sleeping, and may feel the need to consume alcohol and drugs to control their symptoms. Some sufferers even turn to self-medication with medications such as Valium or Tylenol.
There are many reasons why people develop PTSD after a traumatic brain injury, but the disorder is treatable. PTSD can be treated using medications and psychotherapy, or it can be treated by avoiding or eliminating sources of stress that may trigger the symptoms. When a patient begins to experience symptoms of PTSD, they should be assessed by a mental health professional such as a psychologist or psychiatrist. If a patient’s PTSD was caused by a brain injury, there may be some physical therapy that will be required to help the patient get over their discomfort.
Because PTSD is considered a difficult-to-treat mental health disorder, many doctors will avoid using drugs and other forms of therapy in most cases. However, in a small number of cases, the drug regimen may be enough to treat the PTSD symptoms and reduce the disorder’s impact on the patient’s life. Since many times, brain injury victims experience symptoms similar to those of PTSD, doctors will often recommend drug therapy combined with psychotherapy for their patients.
Once a patient has been diagnosed with PTSD, treatment options will vary. In general, the doctor treating the patient will try to find the cause of the trauma. Often, the doctor will recommend that the patient become physically active to prevent the body from being immobilized while recovering. Physical therapy and occupational therapy are also used to help the patient to resume normal functions once they have been injured. If necessary, doctors may prescribe anti-inflammatory medication to help alleviate some of the pain associated with brain injury. Other medications will also be prescribed to help patients deal with their PTSD symptoms.
When PTSD is suspected in patients, doctors will work closely with the patient and the survivor to help both individuals work through the emotional and physical barriers that are associated with PTSD. Working with a trained therapist, patients can learn to identify triggers that cause traumas in their lives and learn how to avoid these triggers in order to live a healthy and productive life. Because of the tremendous improvements in today’s medical care, patients that suffer brain injury can now receive the treatment they need in order to improve the quality of their lives. As long as the victim is able to cooperate and follow doctor’s orders, patients with PTSD can be successfully treated for their disorder.