The cause and effects of post traumatic stress disorder even in times of trauma, we try to maintain a sense of normality until we no longer can. This quote by author lori goodwin explains the truth that there is no such thing as complete healing from post traumatic stress disorder. The effects that it has on a person are so severe, that it completely alters their reality. As a result of this physical and mental change, one’s perception is permanently distorted from the truth of reality. Research has shown that the trauma in war caused many world war ii victims to suffer from irreversible mental instability. Likewise, in the novel a separate peace, john knowles explores the issue of perception versus reality through the character leper lepellier entering into the war and gene forrester through the war inside himself.

The physical effects caused by post traumatic stress disorder are lasting and a direct result from trauma endured by a person. To begin, during the american civil war, military physicians diagnosed many cases of functional disability resulting from fear of battle and the stresses of military life bentley. Many soldiers experienced a wide range of illnesses such as paralysis, tremors, and self inflicting wounds. One of the most common illnesses of this time was the soldier’s heart or the exhausted heart or severe palpations of the heart bentley.

Ptsd grew rapidly as field commanders and surgeons urged the war department to build military hospitals for the psychologically insane. According to richard a gabriel, a consultant to the senate and house armed services committees and chronicler of ptsd, they were put on trains with no supervision, the name of their hometown pinned to their tunics, others were left to wander about the countryside until they died from exposure or starvation bentley. Psychological symptoms became so common that soldiers with these disorders were discharged from the war and abandoned.

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They were mentally unable to function and as a result, they were permanently emotionally wounded. In addition to the physical effects of ptsd, the mental effects are also quite destructive. Post traumatic stress disorder ptsd is a particularly disturbing and disabling illness which can be caused by exposure to any event which is or is perceived to be life threatening. Official us estimates suggest that 15% of those who have seen combat service will suffer from ptsd over the long term.

The symptoms typically include the following: intrusive memories sleep disturbance hyper arousal / avoidance behaviour emotional shutdown traditionally this has been a difficult illness to cure. Various approaches to helping people with ptsd have been tried, and many of them have failed to help. It is significant that critical incident debriefing following violent incidents is no longer seen as a universally helpful approach. It should not surprise us that many sufferers feel intuitively that they do not want to seek help because they expect to have to relive the painful experiences by talking about them. Their gut instinct that it might make them feel worse rather than better is often correct.

What is written here is a simplistic approximation which is based on the in8 approach and our experience. It is intended to give a basic understanding rather than a scientifically rigorous explanation. When a frightening experience causes trauma, it has the effect of programming our security centre which is located within the amygdala a small almond shaped part of the brain. This particular set of circumstances is stored as one which represents severe danger. From that moment on any situation which resembles the traumatic event can trigger the same fear response. What is important to realise here is that the emotions which are triggered occur before we get any chance to think about the situation. also note that when the emotions are very strong such as intense fear this can have the effect of completely overriding our ability to think rationally.

Cause And Effect Essay Ptsd Text

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