Ask the Therapist
Students Questions about PTSD
I am a sophomore at a High School, in Minnesota. I am conducting a research project on Posttraumatic
Stress Disorder and as part of the project, we are required to conduct an interview with someone who works with the disorder.
1. What is your relation to PTSD?
It is one of my specialties. I spent 2 years working with Vietnam Vets in a VA hospital in the early '80 -- my first exposure.
2. How do most people develop the disorder?
Severe trauma.
3. What possible treatments are available for suffers?
They are varied -- look into a book called the "Handbook of PTSD" -- best resource out there.
4. Does PTSD have any biologically causes? If so, what are they?
No.
5. Is there a stigma attached to people with the disorder? If so, how and
why?
Not sure I can answer that.
6. Has the government done enough to protect those victims of PTSD who
suffered in wars?
Political question. Know I can't answer that. Go to the NPR (national public radio) web site...they did a piece on PTSD on Monday morning, either Talk of the Nation or All Things Considered. -- I am
not doing your homework, dude.
7. What should someone who knows someone with the disorder do about it?
Only a person who desires help will accept it. Those who suffer from PTSD generally are uncomfortable enough to seek help themselves.
8. What are the symptoms of the disorder?
The most salient, intrusions -- unbidden memories or dreams of the event or something related to it. i had a rape victim once who would wake up in the middle of night feeling ropes burning her wrists -- she'd been raped 25 years before.
Also, night sweats, anger, fear, anxiety, depression
9. Is treatment usually successful and why or why not?
Depends.
10. How severe is the disorder usually?
Anything from nothing noticeable to there was one guy in the VA who, if you simply used words like incoming, slant, the proper name Charlie, etc. in a sentence would fly into a panic.
