Take some time to heal from PTSD

Posted on Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Take some time to heal from PTSD
By JUDI LIGHT HOPSON, EMMA H. HOPSON, R.N., and TED HAGEN, Ph.D.
McClatchy Newspapers

We've all heard reports on the news about posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in veterans. Many of our men and women returning from the war in Iraq will have to deal with it. Their families will deal with it for years to come.

But, did you know that this type of stress is more far-reaching?

Emergency responders, individuals going through divorce, rape victims and victims of violent crime can experience PTSD.

A person impacted by major stress can have such anxiety and fear, the person is afraid to openly share this with others. Mental problems do carry a stigma in our society.

"My father had PTSD from the Korean War," says a doctor we'll call John. "My dad was so unpredictable. He was nice one minute and yelling the next. I thought I was causing his anger and grumpiness."

John says he didn't understand what was going for years. "I left home, refused to see my dad, and never got fully informed about PTSD until I was 38 myself. If only I'd known how to cope and assist him in getting help."

A teacher, who was severely beaten by two irate students, told us this story: "I went through counseling and thought I was fine. But, when I went back to my first day of teaching two years later, my hands started to shake uncontrollably when I wrote on the board in front of my class. My brain was telling me to run."

Posttraumatic stress actually alters the shape of the brain in some cases.

Helping loved ones

Families dealing with someone experiencing PTSD need education. Their relationship with the person in crisis can start to go downhill rapidly, if they don't know how to cope.
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