Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD is a chronic mental-health condition often experienced by people who have suffered from a traumatic experience, either as a witness or first-hand. It is becoming an increasingly common form of mental health dysfunction and it is likely that you many have unknowingly encountered people who suffer from it. As with other mental-health conditions, its effects and symptoms cannot be spotted by the naked-eye, and how it is triggered remains a matter of much debate within the medical and academic worlds.
However, if you know someone who suffers from PTSD, it is likely that they could significantly benefit from your help and support – even if they have not asked for it. If you have a friendship with someone who suffers from the condition you can help them in a variety of ways, such as: helping them to find resources that can help them to cope with its symptoms, or by discussing the nature of their symptoms, their feelings and the manner in which they experience PTSD episodes.
Whilst it is difficult to identify the symptoms of PTSD, they can often involve extreme mood swings, suddenly being consumed with intense anger resulting in uncharacteristically violent and aggressive behaviour, problems sleeping, overacting to situations and being socially-withdrawn. These behaviours can often be sporadic, with the sufferer reverting to normative behaviour, as though nothing has happened. PTSD is a highly atypical pattern of mental health dysfunction with no set behavioural patterns.
The vast majority of people who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder are able to function within society in a relatively normal manner – despite the severity of their symptoms. Therefore, it is helpful to understand that the condition is characterised by the possibility of volatile and extreme behavioural-events at any time – which can sometimes be harrowing to observe, as well as experience.
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