Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ( Ptsd ) - 1220 Words

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental condition that is normally associated with military combat veterans. Specifically, it is classified as an anxiety disorder that sometimes occurs after being exposed to a traumatic or terrifying event or incident. The Mayo Clinic defines PTSD as a mental health condition that s triggered by a terrifying event. It is also defined as an anxiety disorder that can develop after the exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened (Staff, 2014). PTST affects a significant number of our military combat veterans; it can affect anyone who has been subjected to such things as terror events, natural disasters, domestic violence, serious traffic†¦show more content†¦As this paper will reflect, PTSD has both short and long term consequences and reaches far beyond those who have the disorder. Emotionally and financially, PTSD affects all of our lives in some form, whether from being expo sed to the symptoms of a friend or loved one to the financial burden the disorder places on our society to treat those with the disorder. The symptoms of PTSD are very broad and can be very mild to severe. Persons who suffer from the disorder can have unwanted memories of an incident, bad dreams or nightmares, emotional numbness, guilt, emotional outbursts, feeling on edge, and over worrying. Other symptoms may include sleep related problems and being able to maintain both personal and professional relationships. Statistics indicate that those diagnosed with PTSD continues to grow. An estimated 20% of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans, 10% of Gulf War veterans, and 30% of Vietnam veterans have experienced PTSD (ptsdunited.org). PTSD does not always appear in close proximity of a traumatic event. In some cases, symptoms may not appear until years after an event. However, whenever they do appear, symptoms of PTSD can cause significant problems in b oth professional and personal relationships of those experiencing the disorder. Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults,