Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ( Ptsd ) - 1522 Words

Introduction Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the most severe trauma- and stressor- related disorder. PTSD was first included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in 1980 after the Vietnam War. Today, according to Koenen and Galea (2015), â€Å"The majority of adults report exposure to at least one traumatic event in their lifetime.† Many of these individuals will struggle with PTSD. This report will give the diagnostic criteria for PTSD while focusing on Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. Diagnosing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD is very common among veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. â€Å"Since September 11, 2001, the USA has deployed more than 2.7 million men and women to support combat†¦show more content†¦Researchers noticed veterans had symptoms of â€Å"re-experiencing, avoidance, hyperarousal, and emotional numbing† (Koo et al., 2015). There is a general understanding that symptoms of PTSD are sorted into four categories: intrusion symptoms, avoidance, negative alterations of mood, and arousal symptoms. Intrusion symptoms can include nightmares, flashbacks, and intrusive thoughts. Avoidance symptoms is the constant avoidance of thoughts and feelings pertaining to the trauma. Alterations of mood can be shown through negative view of self and the world, as well as, detaching emotionally after the trauma. Finally, arousal symptoms, which can be the most dangerous symptoms, include reckless behavior and hypervigilance (Sue et al., 2016). Most veterans display symptoms in all four categories. According to Ramchand et al. (2015), â€Å"There is consistent evidence that PTSD symptoms increase as the time since returning from deployment increases and that PTSD is also associated with being injured in theater.† Course and Prevalence According to Watts, Zayed, Llewellyn-Thomas, and Schnurr (2016), â€Å"almost 7% of adults in the United States experience PTSD at some point in their lifetime and the presence of PTSD among veterans of the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is 14%.† This is a large amount of the population. Veterans returning from war with PTSD may not have the structure and support they need. It is reported that â€Å"twenty-two