PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)

In the life of every person, there are events that in one way or another leave a mark on his mental state. If the shock was particularly severe or a person has an unstable emotional background, then he or she may develop PTSD – post-traumatic stress disorder.

Definition of PTSD (also known as PTSD – post-traumatic stress disorder) is a mental disorder that develops after various shocking events, which are characterized by intrusive memories, nightmares, flashbacks and other symptoms. In general, the syndrome usually occurs in people who have had a powerful traumatic experience.

 What they say about the number syndrome

The risk of developing PTS after physical abuse is 11.9%. In case of rape, the probability is already 19%. Stress as a result of the loss of loved ones very rarely leads to the development of the syndrome. In percentage terms, it is 1.3%. Military personnel are the most susceptible to the disorder. Due to the unstable situation in Ukraine, 26% of military personnel showed signs of PTSD.

Doctors distinguish several types of post-traumatic stress disorder:

The duration of the syndrome reaches 3 months. Distinctive features are pronounced symptoms and severity of the course.

Symptoms increase gradually. Within six months, a person depletes the nervous system, the emotional background becomes very shaky. Interest in something is lost, the victim is in a state of apathy.

It is observed in people who already had chronic mental disorders before the traumatic event. This complicates the course of the disease.

The first symptoms may appear 6 months after the injury. They are usually provoked by any external stimuli.

One common method is drug treatment. However, its effectiveness has been questioned in recent years. Many drugs are recognized as practically ineffective.

Now it is worth considering the methods of psychotherapy that have gone through many studies that have shown their effectiveness in the treatment of PTSD.

Is usually divided into two methods:

Exposure method. A person, under the control of a psychologist, “plunges” into the traumatic event. Model it in reality or in imagination. When done correctly, the patient develops addiction on an emotional level and there is a decrease in response to the traumatic trigger.

Stress-instilling method. Together with the patient, triggers are determined, and then coping strategies for overcoming the situation are formed. In other words, the victim imagines the event, but emerges victorious from it on a psychological level. This is facilitated by the use of relaxation and grounding techniques.

DPT is based on improving mindfulness skills, resilience to stress, and effective interpersonal interaction.

TPO technology is based on the fact that the patient learns not to mask his emotions and sensations, but to accept them as they are. Perceiving bad thoughts about yourself should just be a label to get rid of.

You need to define your values and start acting with them. To live in the moment – “here and now”, not “then and there”. This eliminates feelings of sadness, anger, and irritation. This therapeutic approach does not allow you to completely forget the trauma, but it can reduce the impact of experiences and improve the quality of life.

Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic. It totally blocks pain and for a short time “cuts off” the core of the personality from all mental layers. The therapeutic effect of the drug is based on the fact that traumatic memories and experiences are precisely in these “layers”. And their blockade, even a short-term blockade, gives a person the opportunity to separate himself from the trauma. And then, step by step, let it go to where it really should be – to the past.

Clinical studies have shown that ketamine causes significant structural changes in the brain. Specifically, the thickness of the cortex changes in areas related to fear and memory. In addition, a link has been found between structural changes and a reduction in mental symptoms of PTSD. In developed countries, such therapy has long been normal. For example, in the United States, this type of treatment is used for the military.