Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental condition that arises after a person is exposed to extremely distressing circumstances. In addition to military combat, other events that can cause PTSD among adults and children are sexual assault, domestic abuse, and traffic accidents. The symptoms of PTSD are several and they include behavioral and psychological issues. For instance, an individual may exhibit agitation, irritability, and social isolation. In addition, the person may also experience flashbacks, anxiety, and depression. Some people might indicate insomnia and a lack of emotional attachment. Thus, PTSD is caused by a variety of harmful occurrences that cause a person to become maladjusted.
Treatment for PTSD involves a combination of drugs and therapy. The medication used to help patients deal with the condition consists of antidepressants such as Fluoxetine (Balbo et al., 2019). However, medicine alone is not effective and it is usually accompanied by psychotherapy. Several types of remedies have demonstrated considerable success in assisting patients with PTSD. For instance, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) are some of the main approaches used to treat PTSD (Balbo et al., 2019). Therefore, the illness is managed using a combination of approaches.
In case I have a friend who I believe is suffering from PTSD, the most important advice I would give them is to seek treatment. PTSD is a serious mental health problem and it is crucial to ask for help from a professional. As such, I would emphasize the need for seeking treatment from people with expertise regarding mental illness. I would also promise to assist my friend in any capacity during their recovery.
Post-traumatic growth (PTG) refers to positive changes that a person makes after experiencing an extremely disturbing event. Stressful incidences do not always cause negative emotional and psychological responses. Instead, an individual can sometimes make constructive adjustments to their life. The transformation usually occurs without professional help but factors such as resilience, emotional regulation, and education help trauma survivors move from PTSD to PTG. Consequently, PTG is essential for a person to develop as an adaptation mechanism after witnessing a crisis.
References
Balbo, M., Cavallo, F., & Fernandez, I. (2019). Integrating EMDR in psychotherapy. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, 29(1), 23-31. Web.