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How Much do You Know about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?
(Great Neck, NY -
) — As Americans around the country reflect with sadness on the events of September 11, some people directly affected by the attacks continue to be plagued by nightmares of that horrible day. Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a serious illness that can have lasting effects. Answer the following questions to see how well you understand PTSD:
True or False:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is caused by exposure to a real-life traumatic event.
- One of the most important symptoms of PTSD is persistent re-experiencing of the traumatic event.
- People with PTSD say they don't feel things with the same emotional intensity that they experienced before the traumatic event.
- PTSD is more common in men than it is in women.
- A diagnosis of PTSD is made only if an individual continues to have symptoms one month after the traumatic event has occurred.
- About 10 percent of people exposed to a qualifying traumatic event will actually develop PTSD.
- The risk of developing PTSD is the same whether someone is in a group of people or alone when exposed to a traumatic event.
- People with PTSD are highly prone to other psychiatric illnesses, such as major depression.
- People with PTSD have a good chance of getting better if they do not ignore it and get appropriate help.
- Treatment for PTSD includes medication and exposure therapy.
Answers:
- True. It has to be the kind of event in which a person has reason to believe that he or she is at risk of being killed or seriously physically harmed, or witnesses other people being killed or seriously harmed.
- True. Individuals may have terrible nightmares. Or during the day they may feel as if they are back in the middle of the traumatic event.
- True. People with PTSD have a blunted emotional response. For example, they don't feel that they can laugh at funny stories or cry while watching a sad movie.
- False. PTSD is more common in women.
- True. For the first month following exposure to a traumatic event, symptoms are considered an acute stress response. Many individuals do not go on to develop a persistent psychiatric disturbance.
- False. Approximately one-third of people exposed to a traumatic event will go on to develop PTSD.
- False. An individual is less likely to develop PTSD if he or she is part of a group exposed to the same traumatic event.
- True. PTSD is also a major risk factor for suicide.
- True. Effective treatments are available to help people overcome PTSD.
- True. PTSD is treated with certain antidepressant medications and exposure therapy, which entails exposing the person to what he was frightened of and training him to see it in a realistic way and to have a normal emotional response.
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