What is post-traumatic stress disorder?
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a clinical condition characterized by a variety of symptoms, usually including neurological (headache, dizziness, insomnia) and psychiatric (irritability, mood swings, anxiety) manifestations. This situation is experienced by the patient as very unpleasant. It is often disabling, as it can interfere significantly in social and family life and also in the work environment, affecting performance.
What kind of experiences can provoke it?
Any trauma in the broadest sense of the word can cause the disorder. It may be the consequence of situations of extreme emotional conflict, but it also sometimes appears after having suffered a minor or more serious traumatic brain injury. There is some controversy about the possible presence of brain lesions as responsible for the clinical picture, because although there are cases in which it may derive from a brain contusion, there are others in which it appears in an apparently healthy brain.
Who is affected?
Any person can suffer from post-traumatic stress syndrome in circumstances such as those mentioned above, although individuals with a certain predisposition to stress and those with a low pain threshold are more vulnerable. The underlying emotional situation in which the person finds him/herself can also be decisive in the presentation of symptoms.
What are your symptoms?
In addition to the usual neurological and psychiatric symptoms, sufferers may also report other symptoms such as chest tightness, palpitations or shortness of breath.
How can it be identified?
The disorder is usually identified in people with a certain predisposition due to their underlying personality (greater vulnerability to stress) in whom diagnostic tests such as electroencephalogram or CT scan are negative.
How can it be treated?
To treat this disorder, the first and most important thing is to reassure the patient and help him to control his anxiety through relaxation techniques and healthy lifestyle habits. By carrying out these measures and allowing some time to pass, the symptoms usually subside spontaneously. On other occasions it is necessary to resort to drugs (anxiolytics and antidepressants), and even the support of a psychologist.