The National Center for PTSD has designated June National PTSD awareness month. PTSD has become a household acronym in the US but do we have an understanding of what it really is? Let’s talk about some history. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) gained notoriety during the Vietnam war in the 1970s when the phrase was coined, but symptoms were being detected in military service men back during the second World War where people classified it as “shell shock.” It was not until the 1980’s when the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) classified it as a diagnosis. Since that time research has taken off and in the recent years it has gained more attention.
Here are some basics:
PTSD is a stress reaction to a traumatic event lasting longer than 3 months causing impairment in home or work life. Many people report reliving the event and the feelings of the event, hypervigilance, anxiety, nightmares, poor sleep, avoidant behavior, difficulty concentrating, and dramatic changes in beliefs or feelings. Although PTSD is more frequently seen in military population, many other people who have suffered a trauma can be living with it. Many people seek counseling and medication to help overcome the symptoms. Learn more about PTSD at the National Center for PTSD. If you or someone you know is struggling with PTSD and are ready to start counseling, please contact us today. We have therapists who work with individuals with PTSD.
submitted by: Steven Plummer, LCPC