Maybe a majority of us have PTSD?

[lildreamer316]

A serious question; don't jump to flame me here. I was reading Just Me's post (and I recall the initial post of the encounter referred to) and thinking back to my own post about not being able to see anything even remotely violent happen to a baby on tv or elsewhere (oversensitivity). I am remembering a couple of ppl suggested I might be suffering from that also. Might the 24/7b emphasis on reality (among other factors) in today's world possibly have brought about mass tramautization?
Am I crazy or just crazy for thinking this?
Please no offense to the many vets who suffer from this affliction in a serious way and have for a long time. Just food for thought....

[loyalsister]

1. no

PTSD is an extremely serious thing. I know you didn't mean to diminish it, but it is far more extreme than what I think you described. You have to experience the event for it to be true PTSD.
I know people who live with it, and it is one of the most debilitating mental illnesses. The intensity with which people re-experience the most horrible things that have ever happened in their lives is unbelievably horrifyingly real for them. That is why you see so many vets trying to chase it away with booze or other drugs.

By definition, PTSD always follows a traumatic event which causes intense fear and/or helplessness in an individual. Typically the symptoms develop shortly after the event, but may take years. The duration for symptoms is at least one month for this diagnosis.

Symptoms include re-experiencing the trauma through nightmares, obsessive thoughts, and flashbacks (feeling as if you are actually in the traumatic situation again). There is an avoidance component as well, where the individual avoids situations, people, and/or objects which remind him or her about the traumatic event (e.g., a person experiencing PTSD after a serious car accident might avoid driving or being a passenger in a car). Finally, there is increased anxiety in general, possibly with a heightened startle response (e.g., very jumpy, startle easy by noises).

In contrast.......

Acute Stress Disorder

By definition, acute stress disorder is a result of a traumatic event in which the person experienced or witnessed an event that involved threatened or actual serious injury or death and responded with intense fear and helplessness.

Symptoms include dissociative symptoms such as numbing, detachment, a reduction in awareness of the surroundings, derealization, or depersonalization; re-experiencing of the trauma, avoidance of associated stimuli, and significant anxiety, including irritability, poor concentration, difficulty sleeping, and restlessness. The symptoms must be present for a minimum of two days and a maximum of four weeks and must occur within four weeks of the traumatic event for a diagnosis to be made.

[lildreamer316]

3. Cool

I appreciate the lesson; thanks for realizing I didn't mean it that way. Just seems that whenever someone has a small neurotic fit here inevitably someone says they have PTSD. Go fig....

[loyalsister]

5. I've seen that

It disappoints me, because it really is very serious and I wish people would work on understanding this diagnosis better.
It is one that will require our compassion and a true understanding as we are going to see an increase of it in our population.

Forgot to include reference in my other post:

http://allpsych.com/disorders/anxiety/ptsd.html

[marions ghost]

7. good general info but

I don't think it's quite so cut-and-dried. For ex, I don't think that nightmares and re-experiencing the trauma are always present in PTSD. Difficulty sleeping is usually present, but the trauma may be repressed below the level of constant replay. The consistent avoidance component and greatly increased anxiety to the point of "panic attacks" are clear symptoms. The sneakiest kind of PTSD that I have seen occurs when the subject does not even identify the trigger experience as traumatic. They think they're coping fine, but then the symptoms appear and can get worse if the problem is not identified. Some people experience so much stress they can't say what exactly triggered the response.

In general I agree with your categorizing PTSD as a very serious affliction, not to be trivialized. But I also think that when you talk about "sensitization" to certain subjects as a result of an event or sudden change, it may indicate a lowered threshold for anxiety which may be helped with body-oriented stress reduction techniques, changes in habits such as smoking and caffeine consumption, etc.

To address the OP's concerns, we are all under a lot of stress in this country and this should not be underestimated. I believe that we as a nation DO have a greater vulnerability to stress syndromes as a result of the roller-coaster ride of the last few years during which people have had to make big adjustments to their view of the world, their job security and their physical security. And I don't think that's getting better in the near future. So I would caution people to make sure they have a good support network, and to be aware that high stress levels can make anyone vulnerable. This is not just something that happens to returning vets. These are disturbing times for most of us and it's very easy to get overwhelmed. Practice remaining calm.

[loyalsister]

9. Again-- no

I don't disagree with your concerns regarding anxiety and stress, however actual trauma in the context of this diagnosis is an experience that few of us go through in our lives.
In other words, we all experience anxiety provoking stress at varying degrees, but it very rarely reaches the level that led to the theoretical development of the diagnosis of PTSD. It is very very specific and re-experiencing the event is most definitely a part of it.
I know it is not something that is exclusive to returning vets. I only referred to them because that is a population where you find this diagnosis with high frequency and it is very pertinent to our times. It is also something that you may see with child abuse survivors, rape survivors, major catastophre survivors, etc.

[marions ghost]

10. I'm familiar with it

not speaking from speculation. I disagree that re-experiencing the event is always a feature. This is debatable as I'm sure you must know. But it's a fine point--no use getting into a big debate here.
I believe that many people can experience stress levels that make them very vulnerable should a trigger event occur. I also believe that PTSD is under-diagnosed. Just adding an aside to your general comments. :)

[NRaleighLiberal]

2. Sure....here is the trauma that stresses me beyond belief...

The stress brough on by my disbelief that a complete, utter inept idiot was supposedly elected twice to (mis)lead our country.

The stress brought on by witnessing the incredible hypocrisy, hatred, smears and lies of so many of our politicians - the vileness of the Republicans and the spinelessness of many of the Democrats.

The stress brought on by witnessing the complete neutering of the media - the complicity in the lies of the misadminstration.

The stress by seeing the impact of endless fear mongering on so many of our public....of watching so many in our country blindly, fearfully following.

The stress brought on by so much worthless television, so many empty mindless movies.

This is what is causing this typically optimistic, energetic nearly 50 year old and his wonderful wife to start moving toward complete disassociation from the world, and just finding our own comfort zone = our hobbies, our pets, this incredibly beautiful planet we've been given to live on (that is if the current set of politicials allow it to continue to exist).

Then, in all of this despair and stress, a true light shines - Cindy Sheehan, someone with courage, conviction, guts - so many have so much to learn from this true hero, this true patriot.

[tlsmith1963]

4. I Feel the Same Way!

What Bush has done to this country is stressing me out, big time. Recently, I couldn't figure out why I was so short of breath. I finally figured it out--I hold my chest-muscles in when I am stressed, & I have been so stressed since November that it's affecting my breathing. So now I have to make sure I breathe correctly. I am deeply troubled by what has been happening to this country, too. I have cried at work, & have cried myself to sleep. Media people don't seem to realize that a phenomenon is happening--people on the left are *very* stressed these days. It's not PTSD, but it sure feels like it sometimes. The Cindy Sheehan thing is giving me the first real hope I have had in months. I only hope it's the beginning of something, because every time our side has hope it seems to lead to nothing. I want *so* much for Bush & his gang of crooks to be gone. I have never wanted something more in my life.

Tammy

[BikeWriter]

6. I know your feelings well, Tammy, and they worsen PTSD...

We have to keep hope the worm is turning on those thieves. Welcome to DU.

[marions ghost]

8. yes I agree that Cindy

is an example of someone who has been through a tremendous amount of personal stress, enough to defeat anyone, but she is harnessing whatever inner strength she has to try to shine a light on the truth about what has happened to this country. Cindy has to do that...otherwise she will be destroyed by the stress of living with the fact that her son was killed in an immoral war. She is an inspiration to all who are suffering for whatever reason under the current regime. Cindy wants to survive. She's fighting for her sanity, and ours too.