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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder In Women |
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PTSD is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Normally the
cases of PTSD are reported two to three times higher in women than men.
Up to 57 % of the women substance abusers meet the common symptoms to be
declared as PTSD patients.
PTSD is not an
additional stress for the women. It is the main stress, as it demands
the prime attention of the physician. Its impact is more because it is a
twofold stress, due to the abuse at physical as well as mental and
emotional level. The most common reason cited is physical or sexual
abuse in the childhood.Impact of traumatic stress on men and
women can be terrific. In war-like situations or terrorist attacks, the
effects of the post-traumatic stress disorder are intense and have far
reaching consequences on the affected individuals.
Torment,
suffering and serious physical injury of the victim in this situation,
mean an equal or more suffering for the family and friends. It is
however reported that female war veterans and active duty personals
suffer more and require specialized treatment for their stress
management. The level of treatment required depends upon the level and
intensity of the PTSD.
PTSD is mainly a psychological disorder.
Physical injury could be one of the strong reasons for that. The
physical injury of the spouse could also be another reason. The reasons
are generally very strong. Say, a military conflict, actual combat in a
war-zone, actual suffering in a national disaster like Tsunami, or a
major earthquake, any life-threatening event, violent personal assaults
resulting in serious physical injury or rape and the likes.
The
days following such incidents are the days of severe test and at times
impossible to cope with. The discrimination and the will power of the
suffering individuals shatter to the dust. All is lost for the
individual with no way out. For the woman, such a situation looks like
the end of the world.
Suppression of their suffering is one of
the reasons for increase in stress. Therefore the PTSD women are
encouraged to tell and retell the stories of their suffering. This
repetition may help to dilute the ‘thickness’ and ‘hardness’ of stress.
When you are habituated to the strong negative feelings associated with
any of the serious events you actually begin to feel the impact in a
lesser degree.
Anti-depressants are no permanent solutions for
this. Love, understanding and a will to tide over the difficulty can
pave way for a permanent solution for PTSD in women.
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