Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - Term Paper Example

The psychological damage resultant of uncontrollable, horrifying life events possesses a central focus of psychiatric interest within the discipline of psychology. Majority of the early psychiatrists conceived psychological trauma as the definitive source of psychopathology (Ehlers & Steil, 1995). Until recently, the consequences of certain traumas such those stemming from wars, rape, concentration camp experiences, child abuse, and civilian disasters were largely described as distinct entities; nevertheless, keen examination makes it apparent that the human response to overwhelming and uncontrollable life events is incredibly consistent, but the nature of the trauma, the victim’s age, predisposing personality, and community response all bear significant impact on the posttraumatic syndrome (Brewin & Holmes, 2003).

The American Psychiatric Association clearly recognized this in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorder, 3rd edition (DSM-III) when it launched a separate division for the human response to overwhelming life events delineated as “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder” (PTSD) (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Majority of the sufferers of PTSDA continues living in emotional environments of the traumatic environment with tolerating vigilance for and sensitivity towards the environmental threat.

The five principal features of the human response to trauma encompass: (1) an enduring startle response and irritability; (2) proclivity to volatile bursts of aggression; (3) obsession with the trauma; (4) limitation on the overall degree of personality functioning; and, (5) unusual dream life (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). In mild cases, the trauma is ultimately remedied by integration of traumatic events into the totality of the subject’s life experiences; nevertheless, in most cases, some or all the symptoms may endure during periods of later stress.

The reactions can be grouped into three core