Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has been in the news a lot in recent years. One of the reasons for this is that many soldiers returning from war are showing symptoms of the condition. PTSD is by no means a condition that only affects military personnel, however, and it can strike many different types of people.
It can be a condition that is relatively difficult to diagnose, yet there are several common symptoms:
In simple terms, PTSD works when a painful memory becomes stuck in the consciousness, whereas normal memories are able to be processed, a traumatic memory lingers and can be re-experienced over and over again as flashbacks.
This can cause all sorts of problems. Many sufferers of PTSD experience painful nightmares and also daytime flashbacks. This can lead to anxiety; which may vary from person to person. Some sufferers of PTSD will have social anxiety and avoid social occasions, becoming insular and isolated.
When someone suffers a painful event in their lives then it is common for that person to demonstrate avoidance behaviours. This means that rather than facing up to the psychological treatment they often resist therapy, regardless of the many benefits.
There are a few methods of treatment, and a relatively high success rate. One lesser known kind of treatment is EMDR treatment, which basically uses eye movements to dislodge the source of the anxiety. If you want to help people with PTSD you might consider an EMDR training course.