Introduction
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental illness that affects those who have experienced or witnessed a horrific tragedy. Catastrophic incidents, accidents, terrorist acts, war assaults, death, sexual brutality, or injuries are examples of terrifying events (American Psychiatric Association, 2020). Family and individual functioning may be disrupted due to this condition, resulting in substantial medical, economic, and social issues (Miao et al., 2018). PTSD can affect everyone, regardless of their identity, race, culture, and age. Lady Gaga is a well-known musician and actress who has been diagnosed with PTSD.
Symptoms of PTSD
PTSD is a common and often debilitating mental illness characterized by considerable functional impairment across multiple domains. Re-experience and aversion symptoms and negative changes in cognitive and alertness are all hallmarks of PTSD (Miao et al., 2018). According to American Psychiatric Association (2020), PTSD symptoms are divided into four groups, ranging from mild to severe. PTSD is characterized by uncomfortable and intense thoughts linked to a past event (American Psychiatric Association, 2020). As a result, the afflicted person may experience sadness, rage, nightmares, flashbacks, terror, and a sense of separation from others. Additionally, these individuals avoid circumstances that may remind them of the harrowing incident. Negativity can lead to persistent and inaccurate ideas about oneself or others and difficulty recalling crucial components of the traumatic experience. Being irritated and having furious outbursts, acting recklessly or in a self-destructive manner, remaining attentive to one’s surroundings, getting frightened, or having trouble focusing are all examples of alertness and responsive indicators (American Psychiatric Association, 2020). Finally, it is crucial to acknowledge that anxiety, substance abuse, memory issues, and other mental and physical health problems are common conditions with PTSD.
Prevalence of PTSD
PTSD can affect everyone, irrespective of age, race, origin, or culture. Cognitive impairment has been linked to PTSD on numerous occasions. In the armed forces, the estimated incidence rate of PTSD varies from 5.4% to 16.8% (Miao et al., 2018). The prevalence of PTSD may vary based on the patient population analyzed, the traumatic events, and the measurement method utilized. Nevertheless, it still represents the devastating impact of this mental illness. While PTSD can affect individuals of any demographic, many investigations have concentrated on returning veterans in the past few decades, which means that the military workforce has the greatest understanding of the condition.
The difference in PTSD prevalence between males and females is debatable. Some aspects of a stressful incident have been shown to increase the risk of PTSD. In a major survey of veterans, the prevalence of PTSD was identical in men and women; however, men were statistically more prevalent than women (Miao et al., 2018). Even though many people are subjected to traumatic events at some time in their lives, most of them recover to their pre-trauma psychological functioning.
There has not been much research on the prevalence of PTSD during childhood. However, various stances concerning sensitivity to PTSD have featured in the past. Growing research suggests that severe tragedy can cause worse stress reactions than anticipated and other mental and physical consequences on children’s development (Miao et al., 2018). Interpersonal trauma, primarily related to or generated from their parents, particularly witnessing gender-based violence and mistreatment, is the most common traumatic exposure for children. Generally, such tragic incidents are highly detrimental and are linked to mental deprivation.
Treatment
Psychotherapy is the common treatment plan for people with PTSD. Cognitive processing therapy is the most successful strategy, and it concentrates on altering negative feelings (American Psychiatric Association, 2020). Patients are encouraged to relate their frightening experiences and how they have impacted their lives. They can then next write down how the situation occurred, which aids in examining one’s perception of the event and developing new ways to cope with it. For instance, the therapist will highlight the items they have no control over because the patient perceives the environment as dangerous. As a result, individuals may move forward and comprehend, accept, and record what they might have done differently. Additionally, a group environment can be incorporated to allow victims of comparable tragic incidents to discuss their feelings and experiences in a safe, non-judgmental environment. Participants assist one another in realizing that they would have reacted in the same manner and had similar emotions. Finally, family counseling may also be beneficial since the conduct and misery of the individual with PTSD can influence the entire household.
Medication can also aid in the management of PTSD symptoms. Essentially, medicine’s treatment permits many patients to participate in counseling more successfully. The fundamental impairments are typically treated with drugs such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (American Psychiatric Association, 2020). They can be used alone or in conjunction with other methods such as therapy and awareness. Physicians can recommend additional medicine to address hallucinations and insomnia issues that plague many individuals with PTSD and reduce stress and physical discomfort.
Celebrity Living With PTSD: Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga is a professional singer, writer, and actress who has won Grammy awards. The singer/actress has spoken openly about her mental health on several occasions. Lady Gaga recently frankly talked about her difficulties with PTSD, despite great success in both music and acting. In a 2014 interview, Gaga revealed that she was the victim of rape at the age of 19 (Office of Public Affairs, 2017). Gaga later revealed that she had been diagnosed with PTSD, presumably due to this terrible encounter. Unfortunately, some individuals who usually associate PTSD with brave military men quickly ignored her claims. However, Gaga received overwhelmingly positive feedback online for courageously coming out and seeking help.
Reliving the experience through memory, avoiding settings that may elicit feelings comparable to the incident, and issues with mood stabilization are all clinical signs of PTSD. Lady Gaga has suffered from dissociation, triggers and anxiety in everyday social settings. Her life has been interrupted by deep sentiments brought on by the abuse she experienced. Gaga’s day-to-day activities were hampered due to this, at times ignoring the symptoms to focus on her career. She said that “my own trauma in my life has helped me to understand the trauma of others” (Office of Public Affairs, 2017, para. 10). Gaga explained that the agony is so intense that it reminds her of the raped. Gaga is currently undergoing treatment, which includes psychotherapy and self-care.
Conclusion
In brief, PTSD is a prevalent and often severe mental disease that causes significant functioning impairment. Everyone, irrespective of their personality, ethnicity, culture, or age, can be affected by PTSD. Nonetheless, the incidence of PTSD varies depending on an individual’s demographic and tragic experiences. The most effective treatment is cognitive processing therapy, which focuses on changing unpleasant feelings. People should seek help if they experience PTSD symptoms; however, no one should self-diagnose because this can lead to even more stress and anxiety.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2020). What is PTSD? Web.
Miao, X., Chen, Q., Wei, K., Tao, K., & Lu, Z. (2018). Posttraumatic stress disorder: From diagnosis to prevention. Military Medical Research, 5(1), 1-7. Web.
Office of Public Affairs. (2017). 10 celebrities who struggle with mental health. University of Utah Health. Web.