Anxiety is Just One Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptom

In recent years, there has been an increase in violence across the world. School shootings and terrorist attacks are just a few such events that leave many people with extreme anxiety which is just one post traumatic stress disorder symptom. Panic and depression also can develop following a traumatic event.

The onset of anxiety and other post traumatic stress disorders is directly linked to any terrifying and violent event that threatens the life of an individual or the family. It doesn't necessarily mean the individual was directly threatened. Witnessing any event that harms people around them is enough to trigger just one symptom of post traumatic stress disorder.

Such events include human and natural disasters, massacres, accidents, personal assaults and military combat.

Depression, anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder can cause tremendous upheaval in a person's life.

After the terrifying ordeal, the person who develops post traumatic stress disorder or a related symptom will become emotionally numb, lose interest in things they previously enjoyed, become irritable, more aggressive, startle easily or perhaps become violent.

The immediate solution to ease this disorder, lessen their effects and shorten recovery time is to find help through friends, family and other support groups quickly.

Common post traumatic stress disorder symptoms

Generally, post traumatic stress disorder symptoms begin to reveal themselves within 3 months of the event and last at least a month. The fortunate people recover relatively quickly, within 6 months, whereas others take much longer. In fact, in some people, it becomes a chronic condition requiring more concentrated treatment.

There is no guarantee the disorder will not re-emerge years later.

People relive the trauma in their thoughts and dreams. They have flashbacks of the event, complete with sounds, smells and the feelings they experienced at the time. One especially upsetting post traumatic stress disorder symptom is the person losing touch with reality during one of those flashbacks. He or she is back at the scene and believes the event is happening all over again.

Anniversaries and locations of the event can trigger those flashbacks and feelings, causing the person to avoid those places and situations.

These responses are perfectly normal considering the magnitude of the event that triggered the disorder's onset.

The key is to understand what's happening, and for these individuals to get as much support as possible, either from their own families and friends, from counselors and especially from professionals who are trained specifically in assisting people with post traumatic stress disorder.

Post traumatic stress disorder symptoms responds well to certain medications and psychotherapy.

Where to get help.

Where the traumatic event involves a number of people, there are usually support groups on hand to assist people who have suffered through it. It is imperative this help be obtained quickly.

If such on-scene help is not available or the incident was more isolated, as in a kidnapping or rape, immediately seek help from your family doctor, religious leaders, hospitals, private clinics, local psychiatric societies, mental health specialists such as psychologists and social workers or your local victims of crime association. The police and social service agencies will be able to provide you with this contact information if you cannot locate it in your phone book.

Online, you can find a wealth of information from the National Institute of Mental Health site at http://www.nimh.nih.gov/ [http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml]. Another option is to use one of the great treatment programs available online.

Read Sylvia's review of The Linden Method, a top selling anxiety relief product. Visit her Natural Anxiety Relief blog for more helpful articles. Sylvia Dickens is an award-winning journalist who has struggled and overcome depression, panic and anxiety. Formerly with the Canadian Mental Health Association, she's written, "A Guide to Teenage Depression & Suicide" and "How To Build Confidence and Banish Anxiety Forever".