Post
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is often perceived as a mental illness that
only soldiers receive after experiencing horrors on duty. In reality seven to
eight percent of Americans will experience PTSD sometime during their
life. The problem is that the general public does not know what PTSD is
and those who have it are too afraid to seek treatment, not wishing to be
labeled broken or crazy.
The
symptom causes victims to become more isolated, and they may not occur until
several years after the event. In general, PTSD causes people to have
flashbacks, avoid reminders of the event, and feel numb, not wishing to talk
about it, or constantly being emotionally edgy. This often isolates the
victims from others, and because they fear the scorn of others they do not seek
treatment. This is particularly bad for soldiers for they fear that the
military will consider them unfit for certain promotions or assignments.
Nineteen
year old Rebecca, has PTSD and explains how she feels she would have never had
developed it if she had a support group.
Links:
Individuals
need to be more aware of those who are afflicted around them. While many mental
illnesses cannot be avoided, many could be if people only had a support group
that did not condemn, but helped them through, and when necessary lead them to
get treatment they need. Otherwise, their symptoms will only worsen, and like
an addiction once one has a mental disease it never completely goes away.
Knowing
what PTSD is and being aware of individuals who have it would improve the
situation immensely for PTSD is particularly hard to recognize.
Soldier and PTSD victim Huerta explained, “Soldiers with PTSD, we often felt the very act of seeking help from a mental health professional could be information that could be used against us, to target us, and make us feel we were burdens to the system. I felt that way and was afraid to get the help I needed.”
PTSD
though is not exclusive to soldiers, but they are often the ones that we hear
the most about.
Statistics
show that PTSD afflicts:
• 7-8%
of US adults sometime during their life
• 6-30% of soldiers depending on which war
• 3-6% of US high school students
• 90% of sexually abused children
• 4-14% of US law enforcement officers
• 16.5% of US firefighters
• 60% of US female rape survivors
The
underlying theme victim’s talk about is how they did not have a support group.
This increased their feelings of being alone, and worsened their symptoms. It
is very hard for them to seek help, for without friends or family helping them,
how are they going to trust a stranger, whether or not they are professional.
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Good use of little wording. It wasn't too long and it wasn't too short.
ReplyDeleteI liked this. It was very interesting to me. I liked how you made this really relatable. I have never been in this situation and I don't know anyone who has, but you connected it to the reader. Especially the fact that you connected it so well to citizens in America.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you felt connected to the topic that was one of my biggest goals. I felt that whether or not we meet someone with PTSD that the statics of how it affects so many different people would help open peoples eyes to the problem. Especially since this is only one very specific mental disorder, the chances of us meeting someone with some kind of mental disorder are very high. I myself have known a few people who have struggled with depression as well as anorexia like problems. I wanted others to know how real these problems really are.
DeleteThis was awesome to read. This really opened my eyes to this mental illness. I never knew that people who were not in war could experience it. This was mind blowing. I have always been interested in the fact that people in war could get this. It has always intrigued me. I like that this was not very long because a lot of people when they read blogs in the internet can't focus their eyes and read a huge paragraph. This was great. I also really liked the pictures and the video. It was something good to draw the eyes away from the text.
ReplyDeleteKelsey Pollard
Thanks I am glad that I was able to show you how real this disorder is. I am also glad that you find that the structure was pleasing to the eyes allowing you to be able to keep interested into what you are reading. The reason I chose the pictures is because I felt they would tell more of the story than I was able to especially in the limited words that we had. The video particularly I felt was important, because it served as great pathos letting one see how the disease had changed an individual’s life. That and the quote from Huerta I felt were the most important parts.
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ReplyDeleteThe first thing I really liked was your title. It drew me into the topic. It was interesting to read about all types of situations where someone can develop P.T.S.D. I felt like the main point was to find a support group or be the support group, and the video helped to motivate the reader to pay more close attention. Watching Rebecca's story was important to see not only how powerful P.T.S.D. can be in someone's life, but also how helpful therapy and support is. You could tell that she had changed so much because her condition wasn't a secret. One suggestion I would make is that just noticing that people have P.T.S.D. and being kind to them isn't extremely arguable. Most people (if not all) would agree that we should be kind to people that have P.T.S.D. What do you propose we do about it?
ReplyDeleteSophie Roberts
I am glad that my title drew you in, that was what I was hoping for. I also glad you took the time to watch Rebecca's video, and suggest you reading Huerta's post if you wish to understand it of soldier's aspect of it. I realized when I was writing it that it was not very arguable. Not everyone though believes that PTSD is a real problem, and many victims, especially soldiers fear that it will effect there lives more if they express it. What I was hoping to get across to people is not necessarily to be kind to people who already have PTSD, but victims in general. Rebecca expressed the belief that she would have never developed PTSD if she had someone to support her, but because neither her friends nor her family did she developed the illness. What I think should be done is that the stigma of mental illness should be removed from our society and that we be more aware of what these symptoms are. Tat way those who need help will not be afraid to seek it.
DeleteThere is some good research here that helps to understand what P.T.S.D. is and how common it really is. I did not know that so many people go through traumatic events and end up with such a real illness. I did not know that the event does not necessarily have to be life-threatening or physically abusive to cause P.T.S.D. I also did not understand, before reading your post, just how real the situation is. The fact that they have flashbacks that are very similar to hallucinations helped me to recognize the gravity of the illness. Basically, your post helped to learn about the causes, symptoms, and statistics of P.T.S.D. It leads me to wonder, however, what exactly is the treatment? Is it the same for everyone? How effective is it? How long does it take? Is P.T.S.D. ever completely cured? Not to barrage you with questions or anything, I just started to think about those things as I read and thought that maybe you have been able to do some research about some of it or maybe you could look into it as you continue your investigation of this topic.
ReplyDeleteThanks; I am really glad that my post was able to help you realize the gravity of the PTSD. As for what kinds of treatments there exist I am not sure for my post was not focusing on that. I believe there are drugs another usual treatments that one would have for a similar disorder such as depression, but specifics I am unsure. Whether PTSD can be completely cured that is highly arguable. The reason I said that it was not is because Rebecca says it in her video, and I have heard similar things with addiction and depression. There are also studies being done to see whether PTSD is tied to certain genes, I found the studies to unpersuasive and will probably be the main argument for my issues paper.
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