Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is described by the National Institute of Mental Health as a "debilitating condition that can occur after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened." Untreated PTSD can co-occur with other emotional or physical illnesses like depression or heart disease, but it can also lead to such invisible illnesses. Knowing the symptoms is the first step toward recognizing and treating two invisible illnesses: PTSD and depression.
Emotional competence includes the ability to cope with extremely traumatic events, but there is no way to know one's ability to cope until faced with emotionally devastating circumstances. After a traumatic event or negative events that take an emotional toll over time, there is no way to anticipate who will develop symptoms of PTSD or depression, but according to studies, these two emotional disorders are linked. Statistics indicate, more than 40 percent of patients with PTSD also had depression "when evaluated both at one month and four months following the traumatic event"
http://www.rightdiagnosis.com/artic/depression_research_nimh.htm.
Unless the symptoms of PTSD and depression are recognized, they can persist for years. Without treatment or some type of intervention, these emotional illnesses can have tragic consequences.
Emotional illnesses like PTSD and depression are often described as "invisible illnesses" because their symptoms are relatively unknown, confused with other illnesses, or hidden by sufferers due to fear of stigma, job loss, or discrimination. But more and more, people are learning to recognize the symptoms in themselves and others, and they are daring to seek and accept intervention or treatment.
Yet, there are many people who still do not recognize symptoms of PTSD or depression. They are confused by their symptoms, don't stop to track negative thoughts, and don't keep a record of their behavior and emotions. The longer their symptoms remain untreated, the greater the risk of suicide. Keeping a written journal of thoughts and feelings covering a period of two weeks to three months will provide a record of feelings and behaviors that allow medical professionals to determine frequency and levels of anxiety or patterns of negative thinking which will provide the basis for a correct evaluation and diagnosis.
Feeling overwhelmed by anxiety or other negative emotions is not a normal reaction to the stresses of daily life. Such feelings are signals that some event or traumatic situation has exceeded one's ability to cope. Emotional disorders are highly treatable but dangerous to ignore. Being proactive in identifying and addressing symptoms of PTSD or depression could be a matter of life or death.
(c) MDJohnson (2015)
Whiteboard Videos - PTSD: National Center for PTSD
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