PTSD: What do those letters mean?
Author: Attorney Dennis Schaefer
Everywhere today when reading a periodical, newspaper or even an advertisement we are confronted by the letters PTSD. What do those letters mean? What significance can the meaning be to you? PTSD stands for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. This disorder was first recognized and documented with returning war veterans. However, it can be triggered by a large number of traumatic occurrences that sometimes happens every day to everyday people.
We now know that PTSD can be caused by a car accident or a slip and fall and many other less common matters then those handled by a personal injury lawyer. Child abuse, plane or train accidents, natural disasters have all been related to PTSD. Science has been able to locate the area in the brain that triggers the symptoms of PTSD. Through location of the area of the brain, the causes of the reaction and the symptoms associated with the disorder, doctors have been able to treat these victims.
People suffering from PTSD have experienced bad dreams, scary thoughts and the reliving of the event that triggered the disorder. People with the disorder commonly avoid places or things they associate with causing the symptoms. Otherwise they can find themselves in a staggering array of emotions. These emotions range from simply being on edge to hysteria, or being stressed to full blown rage.
The actual diagnosis of PTSD is made by a psychiatrist or psychologist. These are obviously doctors most experienced in helping people with mental illness and emotional problems. PTSD is real and with specifically diagnosed injuries. There also are very specific therapies and medications that your physician can use to ease and correct the disorder.
Dell and Schaefer have questioned clients about the possibility of PTSD issues for years. We always try and discover any and all injuries related to our clients accidents. Always make sure to relay to your doctor and attorney any and all changes you believe may have occurred after an accident. Some of these changes just might be related to PTSD.
