Mental Health Current Topics in Mental Health

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and The Attack on America

Post traumatic stress disorder, or "shell shock" as it was originally called, is a psychiatric disorder that was officially recognized after being observed in war veterans. The phenomenon has now been studied and better defined.

A Definition of PTSD

A person suffering with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been exposed directly to a traumatic event. This is an essential ingredient in PTSD. A traumatic event is one that is not considered usual in normal life. Generally, the traumatic event will involve an individual experiencing a close encounter with their own death, or it will involve observance of the unexpected or horrific death of others.

Who is at risk?
The traumatic event must engender intense feelings of fear, horror, or helplessness. Such events might be expected to occur to those who have experienced war, assault, rape, accidents, natural disasters and various other traumatic events.

Anyone with first hand sensory contact with the devastation - the sounds, smells, sights, physical sensations, and even tastes associated with the recent terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington DC- would be vulnerable to the development of PTSD.

Not everyone who experiences trauma gets PTSD
Curiously, though, the disorder does not develop simply because an individual was exposed to a traumatic event. The factors that determine if the disorder does or does not develop are not completely understood. However, it is known that PTSD is more likely to develop given the pre-existence of certain risk factors. We will review these factors later in this article.

PTSD Symptoms

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by the development of specific symptoms that must exist beyond 30 days. The symptoms can include:

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