Know about PTSD and its Symptoms

June 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD can develop in any person after the terrifying event. This normally happens when a person feels helpless or feel threat to their safety. Most commonly soldiers are affected with this disorder, but this might happen to anyone. This normally affects a person who has personally affected with the traumatic event or who have witnessed the event.

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PTSD differs with every person and most of the symptoms may appear on the day or other after the terrifying events. Some of the common causes are natural disasters, war, accidents, sudden death of a loved ones, and childhood neglect. In some people, the symptoms gradually disappears, but the real PTSD symptoms never disappears.

There are different types of symptoms for PTSD and most common types are avoiding reminders of the trauma, re-experiencing the triggering event, emotional arousal, and increased anxiety. Other common symptoms include guilt, anger, self-blame, depression, feeling alone, feeling of betrayed, irritability, and physical pains.

The symptoms of children are very different from that of adults. If a person suspects about PTSD, then they should immediately seek help or support. Getting early help is very important because early treatment is better, PTSD can be connected with other health conditions, and most importantly PTSD affects the family life.

There are various treatments available for the condition such as family therapy, trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy, medication, and EMDR. More than this, self-help and support is very important to control this condition. Other than this, people affected with this condition should avoid alcohol and drugs, and reach others for help.

 

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Other Common Problems Suffered by Those with PTSD

February 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

While medical experts and psychologists will generally group the symptoms that happen with posttraumatic stress disorder into one of four categories there are also other symptoms or problems that could be a direct result of posttraumatic stress disorder. Here is a look at some of the other common problems those with posttraumatic stress disorder will commonly suffer from.

Drug or Alcohol Problems. Many people who experience posttraumatic stress disorder will start to exhibit signs of a drug or alcohol problem. These people view drugs and alcohol as a way to help them cope and deal with the events that they experienced.

Depressive Feelings. Posttraumatic stress disorder will often show itself in feelings of depression or hopelessness. Many people who suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder also suffer from clinical depression. Signs of clinical depression range from shame, hopelessness and despair.

Employment Problems. Those suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder will have problems with their job. They might find themselves not motivated to work so they will be let go or they will quit jobs unexpectedly.

Problems With Relationships. Many people who suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder will suffer from problems with their relationships. This is because they cannot talk about the events or are feeling so many emotions that it makes it hard to maintain a normal relationship. Divorce rates with those that suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder are extremely high.

Physical Symptoms. While posttraumatic stress disorder is a psychological issue there are also some physical symptoms that might occur. These can include breaking out in hives or rashes due to the pent up emotions or it can be cutting which is a way for the person to release their emotions. Other physical symptoms can be a result of insomnia or lack of sleeping.

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A Look at Two of the Four Common Symptoms of PSTD

February 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The common symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder will vary greatly depending upon the event, the personality of the person who is suffering from the disorder and their age or past experiences. The symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder will usually start to happen within a few days of the traumatic event. However, there have been cases where the person who suffered from PTSD did not suffer from symptoms until months or years later.

The symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder can be broken up into four different categories. Here is a look at the first two of those categories: reliving the event and avoiding situations that might be similar to the event.

One group of symptoms that shows potential signs for posttraumatic stress disorder is the reliving of events. Experts call this the re-experiencing symptoms. When someone suffers from these symptoms that will often have extremely bad memories of the event that happened and will sometimes start to experience the same exact emotions that they had during the event. In many cases the person will feel as if they are going through the whole event again. Medical experts believe that when this happens there was something that could trigger the re-experience of the event. This could come in the form of a similar sound, person or conditions that will look like the traumatic event.

The second group of symptoms are considered avoiding any type of situation that might remind the person who suffers from the disorder of the event. These people will avoid any mention of the situation or similar circumstances at all costs. A common part of this symptom is the beliefs that if the person who suffered the traumatic event keeps very busy they will not have to go through the emotions of the event. In many cases the events and situations that the person avoids are something that they would have normally engaged in before the traumatic situation happened.

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Feel Better by Fighting Seasonal Allergies

December 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Seasonal allergies are a real pain because they can make you feel sick and produce really annoying symptoms. Sneezing, a runny nose, itchy face and eyes, and respiratory congestion can sideline you from work and play. There are some things you can do to fight against this annual period of suffering.

It’s important to begin noticing when your allergy symptoms flare up. Is it in the morning when you go for a jog? Perhaps it’s in the late afternoon when you’re mowing the yard. Maybe you don’t feel all the usual symptoms until you crawl into bed at night and begin to feel the drainage seeping down the back of your throat. By identifying the situations surrounding allergy attacks and the time of day when your allergy symptoms appear, you can determine what’s triggering your symptoms. Obviously, if your symptoms appear while you’re outside or just after you’ve come indoors, you know that you can reduce symptoms by not spending so much time outside. During the weeks that you have allergy symptoms, trade the pavement for the treadmill. Pay the teen down the street to mow your lawn. Don’t sleep with the windows open. These trade-offs can have big payoffs when it comes to seasonal allergies.

Many local media outlets post pollen counts online, something that’s very useful to people suffering from allergies. If the counts are high, you should definitely re-schedule your outdoor plans, but if they’re low, head out and enjoy the sunshine.

Find a medication that works for you. It’s a good idea to ask your doctor which medicine might be best based on when your allergy symptoms appear and how long they last. While many allergy medicines are available over the counter, allergy nasal sprays will require a prescription. Begin taking allergy medicine around the time of year when your symptoms usually appear but before you have symptoms. This will allow you to head off some of the suffering.

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Heart Attack Symptoms Are Different for Men and Women

November 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Most people know the classic symptoms of a heart attack: You have chest pains, pain in one arm, and shortness of breath. However, women may experience different symptoms before and during a heart attack. Women need to be aware of these signs so they can get appropriate medical attention before there’s permanent damage to their heart.

Women may not experience significant chest pains. Discomfort in the chest area is common with female patients. They also are more likely to feel a shortness of breath. This could be accompanied by nausea or actual vomiting. It’s possible for women to have pains elsewhere in their body during a heart attack. Pain in the jaw and back are symptoms that women have reported in connection with heart problems.

Of course, experiencing any of these symptoms in isolation does not indicate that a woman has had a heart attack or that a heart attack is imminent. However, someone who experiences a combination of two or more of these problems along with chest discomfort or pain should get to a hospital immediately.

Doctors will perform a series of tests to determine whether or not the patient has had a heart attack. Unless you’re in severe pain, the doctor is likely to begin by asking you some questions about how you feel. Physicians will also want to know as much as possible about your health history and any family history of heart disease. An electrocardiogram or EKG will help determine if there are any problems with the electrical activity of your heart. In some cases, blood tests may be useful to determine whether enzymes related to heart attacks are present throughout the body.

Reduce your chances of experiencing a heart attack by cutting back on fatty foods. Increasing your physical activity is also helpful. Having regular check-ups with your doctor can help you assess your risk of having a heart attack.

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How to Find Health Advice for Overcoming Depression

October 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Depression is a health issue that many people struggle with. In fact, people of all ages from youth to the retirement years are now being diagnosed with depression and are struggling to overcome the debilitating effects of this health disease. If you aren’t feeling like yourself lately and think that something could be wrong, this may be a sign that you are entering the first stages of depression. The following are a few common symptoms of depression so you can better determine if this could be the health issue you are struggling with.

Symptoms of Depression

There are many symptoms of depression and the specific symptoms that people experience vary with each situation. However, one of the main signs of depression is a loss of interest in things that used to bring you immense joy. If you no longer feel like socializing with friends or have lost interest in all activities, you may be entering depression.

Another common sign of depression is increased thoughts of suicide or other harmful options. Thoughts of suicide signal that you aren’t happen with your current life situation but don’t know how to handle the feelings that you are experiencing.

Help Options

If you aren’t feeling like yourself or have been thinking about suicide, you should seek health assistance immediately. Although it can sometimes be difficult to look past the sad symptoms you are experiencing and see that there are options to overcome this problem, you owe it to yourself to seek the services of a health care professional. The physician that you meet with will have recommendations for treatment options and can help get you back to feeling like your normal self.

The most common treatment option for depression sufferers is taking a depression pill. You will want to completely discuss the health effects of the pill you are prescribed to ensure the risks of the medication are worth the benefit you will experience of overcoming the symptoms of depression.

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