Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Symptoms, Treatment (Research, Video 3:56)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can often go undiagnosed because people are not aware of the symptoms or do not know that treatment is available. Veterans are often associated with this disorder because of the trauma many experience while serving the country. One of my hospice patients, a Viet Nam veteran, described his symptoms to me with these words:

“I’ve seen and done things you couldn’t imagine. Some of them were horrible, I mean really horrible. Don’t ask me to tell you what they were. I can’t talk about it. They say time heals all wounds, but it’s a lie. I left Viet Nam, but Viet Nam never left me. I carry it with me everywhere I go. All these years later, I still have nightmares like you wouldn’t believe. The doctor says it’s post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. I wake up shaking, gasping for breath with tears in my eyes. In my dreams, I’m always running hard trying to escape. Sometimes my enemies are close enough for me to touch. I almost stop breathing to keep them from hearing me. I’m constantly thinking I’m not going to make it. Some nights they kill me before I wake up. My dreams are so raw, so real they turn my soul inside out.”

Many people who never served in the military suffer these symptoms and more. They may not recognize the PTSD disorder in themselves and others. In an online PTSD survey assessing PTSD trauma, symptoms, and treatments, PTSD participants included 301 adults (50% veterans). They were asked to identify PTSD related items from a list. They were better at identifying traumatic events and symptoms than they were at knowing about effective PTSD treatments. This is important because people may not seek treatment if they don’t know it is available.

All wounds are not visible. What can PTSD look like? This video features people sharing their traumatic experiences that caused their PTSD and what can “trigger” or generate symptoms in various degrees, even to the point of having “lost days” that are so scary they have difficulty functioning. Personal and group therapy are encouraged.

Frances Shani Parker, Author

Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes is available in paperback and e-book editions in America and other countries at online and offline booksellers.
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