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Note from the Editor:

This article was written for the SDC by psychologist and member @Jan A. Jan A. works part-time, taking on clients under the Medicare Mental Health Care Plans. She works with people of all ages, from children to seniors!


Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (often shortened to PTSD) is a debilitating condition that generates anxiety, depression, sleep disorders and assorted other associated conditions. When first recognised as a condition, it was mostly associated with combat. It was termed 'shell shock' or 'battle fatigue'.

Over time, it has come to be recognised as a response to highly traumatic events not necessarily related to combat. It might be most easily described as 'extended shock’.

Treatment and support is available. Image Credit: Shutterstock

The 2010 International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision (ICD-10) describes PTSD as follows:

‘Arises as a delayed or protracted response to a stressful event or situation (of either brief or long duration) of an exceptionally threatening or catastrophic nature, which is likely to cause pervasive distress in almost anyone. Predisposing factors, such as personality traits (e.g. compulsive, asthenic) or previous history of neurotic illness, may lower the threshold for the development of the syndrome or aggravate its course, but they are neither necessary nor sufficient to explain its occurrence. Typical features include episodes of repeated reliving of the trauma in intrusive memories ('flashbacks'), dreams or nightmares, occurring against the persisting background of a sense of 'numbness ' and emotional blunting, detachment from other people, unresponsiveness to surroundings, anhedonia, and avoidance of activities and situations reminiscent of the trauma. There is usually a state of autonomic hyperarousal with hypervigilance, an enhanced startle reaction, and insomnia. Anxiety and depression are commonly associated with the above symptoms and signs, and suicidal ideation is not infrequent. The onset follows the trauma with a latency period that may range from a few weeks to months. The course fluctuates, but recovery can be expected in the majority of cases. In a small proportion of cases, the condition may follow a chronic course over many years, with an eventual transition to an enduring personality change.’

PTSD can arise when a person:

(i) experiences an event where the person believes they are threatened with death or serious personal injury, such as in crimes, war, accidents, torture and natural disasters, or
(ii) witnesses such events happening to another or others, or
(iii) learns of such an event happening to family or other close associates.

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[Defiant540]

I have PTSD (for many many years!)doubt it will ever go away, housebound because of it!

 

[Jan A]

Sorry to hear of your struggles with PTSD. I hope you can find peace.

 

[Jany]

I have PTSD (for many many years!)doubt it will ever go away, housebound because of it!

It’s something that’s not visible like broken leg or arm & so other people just can’t understand the situation.

 

[Defiant540]

Sorry to hear of your struggles with PTSD. I hope you can find peace.

thank you

 

[April Bradford]

I have PTSD (for many many years!)doubt it will ever go away, housebound because of it!

@Defiant540 - Here is a link to a follow-up article with some self-treatments to do at home that will hopefully relieve some of the stress of PTSD. I hope it is able to assist you, even in a small way.

 

[Jany]

I have PTSD (for many many years!)doubt it will ever go away, housebound because of it!

 

[Jany]

I am really sorry for what you are going through. It must be so hard to be in four walls all the time. PTSD isn’t talked about much, it should be, only then will there be more understanding. Like many illnesses that are not written about or discussed so society in general have an opportunity to know it exists & learn to give compassion.
Best wishes to you & may the holiday season be kind to you.

 

[Defiant540]

I am really sorry for what you are going through. It must be so hard to be in four walls all the time. PTSD isn’t talked about much, it should be, only then will there be more understanding. Like many illnesses that are not written about or discussed so society in general have an opportunity to know it exists & learn to give compassion.
Best wishes to you & may the holiday season be kind to you.

it is & thank you

 

[Defiant540]

just thinking about it brings the tears but I manage ok within my home, doesn't concern me here, I am safe

 

[deni67]

Also written on the other thread*

My partner suffers from PTSD.
Years ago he left his work in the morning and went to a doctor to speak about depression, the doctor didn't do a thing really, he just gave him a note to take to the local hospital. It took us a year to find out what that note said but when we did find out we were shocked.
It said just two words, "General depression"
When he gave the letter to the hospital they immediately bundled him to a cubicle and put a security guard on his bed. He was trying to contact me to go in and bring him home but when I got there I was brought into a room and they used the word "suicidal", of which he wasn't. They kept on and on at me until it began to sound like I was agreeing with them, I was just so desperate to see him that I would have said anything in the end.
Meanwhile he wanted a smoke but wasn't allowed to leave his bed so he just walked out with two burley security guards at his heels, a code black was called which basically shut the whole emergency ward down. They chased him outside and assaulted him, breaking a tooth, to get him back to his bed.
He was sedated twice with neither of them working, when I finally got into see him he was furious, it broke my heart to see this mild mannered man being treated this way.
I was only allowed 5 minutes with him and then he was taken to another hospital over an hour from us to be put into their mental health ward. The next day I went into see him and he blamed me for the whole thing, he told me that the hospital had told him I said he was suicidal, which couldn't be further from the truth.
The hospital banned me from seeing him or even talking on the phone for 3 days, one of the longest 3 days of my life.
When I finally got to see him he fell into my arms begging for forgiveness, we both cried buckets.
I contacted lawyers and no one would take on our case, he didn't need to be there, all he wanted was some anti-depressants but got treated like a criminal. We did get to see the hospitals liason officer but they work for the hospital so of course we didn't get anywhere with them.
Finally after 10 long days he was released with a bucket load of anti-depressants and sleeping pills.
The hospital did nothing for him, they just gave him a bad case of PTSD which follows him today, last year when I was in hospital on many occasions he would be physically sick when he had to come to visit me so we made his visits short and sweet. Today we live a nice quiet life, neither of us drink anymore and we enjoy spending every evening together watching tv or playing games..

Sorry for the novel.

 

[Jany]

Also written on the other thread*

My partner suffers from PTSD.
Years ago he left his work in the morning and went to a doctor to speak about depression, the doctor didn't do a thing really, he just gave him a note to take to the local hospital. It took us a year to find out what that note said but when we did find out we were shocked.
It said just two words, "General depression"
When he gave the letter to the hospital they immediately bundled him to a cubicle and put a security guard on his bed. He was trying to contact me to go in and bring him home but when I got there I was brought into a room and they used the word "suicidal", of which he wasn't. They kept on and on at me until it began to sound like I was agreeing with them, I was just so desperate to see him that I would have said anything in the end.
Meanwhile he wanted a smoke but wasn't allowed to leave his bed so he just walked out with two burley security guards at his heels, a code black was called which basically shut the whole emergency ward down. They chased him outside and assaulted him, breaking a tooth, to get him back to his bed.
He was sedated twice with neither of them working, when I finally got into see him he was furious, it broke my heart to see this mild mannered man being treated this way.
I was only allowed 5 minutes with him and then he was taken to another hospital over an hour from us to be put into their mental health ward. The next day I went into see him and he blamed me for the whole thing, he told me that the hospital had told him I said he was suicidal, which couldn't be further from the truth.
The hospital banned me from seeing him or even talking on the phone for 3 days, one of the longest 3 days of my life.
When I finally got to see him he fell into my arms begging for forgiveness, we both cried buckets.
I contacted lawyers and no one would take on our case, he didn't need to be there, all he wanted was some anti-depressants but got treated like a criminal. We did get to see the hospitals liason officer but they work for the hospital so of course we didn't get anywhere with them.
Finally after 10 long days he was released with a bucket load of anti-depressants and sleeping pills.
The hospital did nothing for him, they just gave him a bad case of PTSD which follows him today, last year when I was in hospital on many occasions he would be physically sick when he had to come to visit me so we made his visits short and sweet. Today we live a nice quiet life, neither of us drink anymore and we enjoy spending every evening together watching tv or playing games..

Sorry for the novel.

So sorry for that dreadful experience. Unfortunately hospitals are not always the caring, safe places they are expected to be. Always good to have another person to attend with you. So glad things are going well for you both now. Best wishes