Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ( Ptsd ) - 1370 Words

According to PTSD United, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder used to be considered a psychological condition of combat veterans who were â€Å"shocked† by and unable to face their experiences from battle. Soldiers with symptoms of PTSD often faced rejection by their military peers and were feared by society in general. Those who showed signs of PTSD were often removed from combat zones and even discharged from military services, being left labeled as weak (â€Å"Post Traumatic Stress†). These implications have been debunked by modern day medical professionals who have given a new definition to the illness to help diagnose those who have it. â€Å"PTSD is recognized as a psychological mental disorder that can affect survivors not only of combat experience,†¦show more content†¦Looking at how PTSD affects Americans, Jessica Hamblen, writer for the U.S. Department of Veteran affairs, states, â€Å"there are a number of psychiatric disorders that are commonly found in children and adolescents who have been traumatized† (Hamblen). There are many things that can possibly cause a person to develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Any event that is life threatening or threatens physical harm can cause PTSD. These events may include: sexual abuse or violence, physical abuse, natural or man-made disasters, violent crimes such as kidnapping or school shootings, car or plane crashes (Hamblen). The event does not have to always directly happen to the person though. PTSD can also occur after being exposed to things such as community violence, war, or domestic violence (Hamblen). Certain variables also can increase a person’s risk of developing PTSD in their lifetime. â€Å"Risk factors include: female gender previous trauma exposure, preexisting psychiatric disorders, parental psychopathology, and low social support† (Hamblen). Several studies have been done on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and how many people in the United States are affected by it. In a scholarly journal published in 1999, researchers found â€Å"individual posttraumatic symptoms, including dissociative symptoms, appear to be common during or following a highly stressful event† (Andrews). This shows that after experiencing an event deemed highly stressful or traumatic by the one who