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Sarah is a 28 y/o accountant who had a traumatic past that she
kept to herself. At age 15, she was grabbed by a masked man
while she was jogging in a park. The man threatened to kill her
with a knife and brutally raped her. She screamed but nobody
seemed to have heard her.
Since that time, Sarah has developed nightmares about being
raped or killed. In most days, she has suffered from flashbacks
of her being attacked. Each time she watches TV shows that
remind her of the incident, she gets scared, overwhelmed, and
becomes agitated. At times, she develops anxiety attacks,
palpitations, sweating, and restlessness.
Since the attack, Sarah can hardly trust people. As a result,
her relationships have profoundly suffered. More recently, she’s
been depressed and feeling hopeless. She hasn’t been sleeping
and eating well. Her inattention has negatively impacted her
work.
Based on the above symptoms, Sarah is most likely suffering from
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). What exactly is PTSD?
PTSD is a psychiatric disorder characterized by avoidance,
hypervigilance, emotional difficulties, and recall behavior such
as flashbacks and nightmares after a traumatic event such as
rape, war, vehicular accident, or natural disasters. Recent
researches have shown that after a trauma, biochemical changes
develop in the brain that can result in psychological signs as
shown above.
If untreated, some individuals develop emotional difficulties
such as depression associated with inability to concentrate,
sleep, and eat. Occasionally, they also become hopeless to the
point that they want to die.
What is the treatment for PTSD?
The combination of individual psychotherapy and medications is
known to help. Antidepressants especially SSRIs have been tried
with some success. Other medications have been helpful to
address the associated symptoms. Anxiety and agitation can be
treated with benzodiazepines. The latter should be restricted to
short-term use because of their addiction potential. Insomnia
can be treated by a small dose of Trazodone.
Psychotherapy or “talk therapy” is an important part of
treatment and recovery. The individual should be able to express
the fear, the frustration, the guilt, and the blame in a secure
and safe setting. Moreover, the therapist should provide ample
support and empathy.
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