Adult PTSD

Title	Adult PTSD
# of Words	721
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	2.88

Adult PTSD

Word Count: 825

NU832.90
Feb 8, 2000
PTSD/ADULTS

Epidemiology
At least 50% of all adults and children are exposed to a  psychologically traumatic event (such as a life-threatening assault or accident, humanmade or natural disaster, or war). As many as 67% of trauma survivors experience lasting psychosocial impairment,  including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); panic, phobic, or generalized anxiety disorders; depression; or substance abuse.(Van der Kolk, et al, 1994) Symptoms of PTSD include persistent involuntary re-experiencing of traumatic distress, emotional numbing and detachment from other people, and hyperarousal (irritability, insomnia, fearfulness, nervous agitation). PTSD is linked to structural neurochemical changes in the central nervous system which may have a direct biological effect on health,  such as vulnerability to hypertension and atherosclerotic heart disease; abnormalities in thyroid and other hormone functions; increased susceptibility to infections and immunologic disorders; and                                                                                                                             problems with pain perception, pain tolerance, and chronic pain.(Fesler, 1991)  PTSD is associated with significant behavioral health risks, including smoking, poor nutrition, conflict or violence in intimate relationships, and anger or hostility.
     Veteran PTSD Etiology
        American  Veterans experienced war-related trauma in Vietnam.(Friedman, 1998) The war traumas included being on frequent or prolonged combat missions in enemy territory, encountering ambushes and firefights, being attacked by sappers, snipers, artillery or rockets. They witnessed death and terrible harm to their own and others bodies while being under fire on helicopters, cargo and reconnaissance aircraft, and patrol boats. They often were assigned very hazardous duty such as walking point, radio operator, medic, scout, tunnel rat, sentry or door gunner.
Other people—spouses, children, family members, friends, or co-workers—often are more aware of the veteran's emotional distress than he is himself.(Scurfeild, 1993)

Many veterans are unable to leave behind the trauma of Vietnam and psychologically return home. They struggle with a variety of extremely severe problems that neither they nor their families, friends, or communities knew how to understand
or cope with. Many of the following symptoms are found in adult sufferers of PTSD whether veterans of war  or other forms of...

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