Anxiety, Panic, PTSD and Dissociative Disorder - Essay Example

Anxiety, Panic, PTSD and Dissociative Disorder Introduction Anxiety, panic, post-traumatic stress disorder, and dissociative disorders are a common set of reaction that develop on people who have been through the traumatic experience. This presentation orients towards a particular group of individuals, in this case, combat veterans’ who have been to war field or group of persons with the same kind of experience. Taking soldiers as an example, many of them have had devastating long term events in their life. Some have seen their partners killed or suffer severe injuries while others have seen women and helpless children in imminent peril and being unable to help because of the surrounding circumstances. Most of them have had to uncover human remains while others have blamed themselves for the death of a noncombatant. Furthermore many have had to struggle in rejoining a society that fails to comprehend the price of their service. This presentation describes the cause of anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and dissociative disorders while explaining treatments to each disorder in question. The paper will also describe indeterminate gender and cultural influences of the subject in question. Causes of Anxiety, Panic, PTSD and Dissociative Disorders. There are several ways in which an individual can develop trauma. According to a statistical report collected by US Department of Veteran Affairs (2009) on the mental health of service members, most were found experiencing PTSD, panic, and other mental disorders as the results of their experience in Iraq and Afghanistan. The table below briefly summarizes in percentage the statistic collected as a result of traumatic events among service members during combat theater. Combat stressors Saw dead bodies Being shot at Being ambushed Receiving fatal fire Know someone killed Iraq army 95% 93% 89% 89% 86% Iraq marines 94% 97% 95% 92% 87% Afghanistan army 59% 60% 50% 84% 43% The above table describes in the snippet, the causes of anxiety, panic, PTSD and dissociative disorders with regards to service members in a combat theater. Detail explanation is as follows; Longer Deployment Periods. When counters are sent on a mission, especially for a longer time than expected, many of them leave they families or workmate with devastating thoughts about their safety and how they will survive the operation. Memories of their loved ones will make them feel anxious; panic and traumatized. See others get hurt or killed. In an operation that involves shooting against each other, many are killed and injured in the process including non-harmed members. From the above table, 95% of Iraq army are traumatized for seeing dead bodies, 93% for being shot at, 89%for being ambushed, 89% for receiving fatal fire and 86% for knowing they killed someone or someone was killed. Sensations of nervousness and tension can reach a crescendo when such memories keep crisscrossing their mind frequently. Sexual harassment in the military. These are threatening sexual harassment that occur in the army and may raise exaggerated startle response and increased irritability. It entails persistent occurrence of intrusive trauma regarding dreams, images or episodes of events during which the trauma is relieved. Sexual harassment can happen to both men and women, and PTSD can affect both subjects. Response to Anxious Trends or Experience. People may find themselves in an atmosphere or place they have been before, and they may feel terrified shame or sickie. Such site includes place of accident, hospital where their loved ones suffered to death, place of injury, or room in the house where somebody was in a horrible situation. Having Lower Morale Having lower level of schooling, lower rank or poor social support within the detachment increase the chance of developing anxiety and panic. In the current job market, the level of education determines someone position in their workplace. People with a higher standard of education get promoted while those with a lower level are demoted. Those with lower level may feel anxious, panic and fear that originate from the anticipation of being demoted or being ranked lower in the field. Treatment of Anxiety, Panic, PTSD and Dissociative Disorders The above explanation sheds lights on the many causes of the subject in question. Each cause can be treated accordingly depending on how long the problem has been occurring in somebody's mind. The following explain the treatment that have been proven to be effective in helping people get back to their usual routine. Psychotherapy This is a therapy that involves talking to a mental health professional who is experienced in treating mental illness. The activity may last for 6 to 12 weeks depending on the patient. According to National Institute of Mental Health (2015), supports from friends and families members play an important role during therapy. The therapist uses mental imagery and writing to expose the traumatizing events and help them cope with the situation. They may use cognitive restructuring to help their subject make sense of the horrible memory. They help them look at the problem in a realistic angle and a healthy way. Medication Taking medication such as zertraline and paroxetine for adults may relieve a person with sadness, anger panic and anxiety. This two medication are antidepressants and are mostly used in medical centers to treat depression. Perhaps such medication help person with trauma go through psychotherapy. Although it may have side effects such as a headache and nausea, the effect usually disappears after a while. However, the medications affect everyone differently, and any unusual reaction should be consulted with the doctor. Mindfulness This is a technique used to become aware of the present phenomena. This technique can help people with anxiety and PTSD cope with the world around them and understand themselves better. Mindfulness is an incredible tool for managing difficult times such as panic and mental disorders. It makes person more resilient. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). This treatment involves making rhythmic eye movements while recalling traumatizing experiences. The eye movement is aimed at stimulating the processing of information in the brain thus triggering the horrible events. This kind of treatment helps people speed up readjustment and recovery. Possible Gender and Cultural Influence of Anxiety, Panic, PTSD, and Dissociative Disorders. To understand the development of the above subject matter, gender disparities and cultural influence must be included in the study to realize the best treatment. According to data reviewed by Ditlevsen, D., & Elklit, A., there is the difference in lifespan distribution of PSTD, anxiety, panic and dissociative disorder among men and women. Women have higher prevalence than men considering minor group between 25 to 50yrs of age. The above study will aid in improving individual coping strategies and progression in treatment methods. On the other hand, Cultural influences effect on how an individual perceives the traumatic events. Cultural influence vary depending on the intensity of exposure to a qualifying traumatic event, difference in the development of PTSD among those exposed to trauma and difference in which an individual exposed to trauma seeks treatment. An example is a soldier who by seeing a dead Iraqis and being unaffected by it because they regard them as enemies and being deeply upset by the injury of his fellow American. Some will describe a horrible incident involving dead children and frequently relating to living of their children. References US Department of Veteran Affairs (2009), National Center for PTSD.Retrieved from http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/PTSD-overview/reintegration/overview-mental-health-effects.asp Ditlevsen, D., & Elklit, A. (n.d.). The combined effect of gender and age on post-traumatic stress disorder: Do men and women show differences in the lifespan distribution of the disorder? Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2917414/ Cultural Aspects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Thinking on Meaning and Risk. (2008, June 4).Retrieved from http://neuroanthropology.net/2008/06/04/cultural-aspects-of-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-thinking-on-meaning-and-risk/ Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml Hinton, Devon E., and Roberto Lewis Fernandez (2010). Depression and Anxiety. THE CROSS-CULTURAL VALIDITY OF POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER: IMPLICATIONS FOR DSM-5 (2010): 1-19. Web. Read More