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Another missed opportunity

Although many people will experience a traumatic event at some point in their life, a much smaller percentage will actually go on to develop posttraumatic stress disorder. In fact, PTSD does not occur at the same rate for everyone. Below are some articles that provide an overview of different prevalence rates for PTSD.

It is not entirely clear why some people will develop PTSD and others won't following a traumatic event. Whether or not someone develops PTSD after a traumatic event likely depends on a number of factors, including genetics, whether or not you have experienced other traumatic events in your life, the type of event you experienced, and your ability to cope. This article provides a list of some factors that have been consistently identified to reduce risk for PTSD following a traumatic event.

If you have experienced a traumatic event and overcome or recovered from your PTSD, please share your story with other readers here. Your story may provide insight into the recovery process, as well as hope to those currently struggling with the effects of traumatic exposure and PTSD.

Today marks the ninth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11th. Despite occurring nine years ago, that event continues to have a major impact on our lives. Below are several articles from About.com about the immediate and long-term effects of September 11th.

The Long-Term Effect of September 11th

PTSD and the September 11th Attacks

The Effect of 9/11 Media Coverage on the Mental Health of Children

Make sure you take some time today to remember and honor those who lost their lives, as well as their loved ones, during the September 11th terrorist attacks.

There are so many treatments available for PTSD. However, one of the most effective treatments currently available for PTSD is exposure therapy. Have you tried exposure therapy for PTSD? Share with others why you chose exposure therapy over other PTSD treatments here.

On August 29th, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made its second landfall in the Gulf Coast, having picked up strength in the Gulf of Mexico. Hurricane Katrina caused a massive amount of destruction in the Gulf Coast, the effects of which are still felt today. You can read more about the long-term effects of Hurricane Katrina in these articles from About.com:

As we near the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, it is important to remember the many people who lost their homes, communities, and lives during the storm. CNN.com provides a number of articles on the lasting impact of the hurricane both in Mississippi (which suffered a direct hit from the hurricane) and Louisiana. You can also read more about how to cope with natural disasters in this article from About.com.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been receiving more attention in the news over the past few years, and as a result, more and more people are becoming aware of and learning about the diagnosis. However, there is still a good amount of bad or inaccurate information out there on PTSD. This article attempts to debunk some of the most common myths about PTSD. Of course, this article doesn't cover all of the myths out there on PTSD. Therefore, if you have any questions about PTSD, you can share them at the About.com PTSD forum.

A recent study has come out in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology that examined the effect of PTSD on children's brains. The study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to look at the functioning of the hippocampus in children showing symptoms of PTSD. They found that children with PTSD symptoms had poor functioning of the hippocampus.

The hippocampus is a part of the limbic system of the brain. The limbic system describes a group of brain structures that surround the brain stem. The brain structures that make up the limbic system play a major role in the experience of certain emotions (fear and anger), motivations and memory. The hippocampus is responsible for the ability to store and retrieve memories. People who have experienced some kind of damage to their hippocampus experience difficulties in or the complete inability to store and recall information. Along with other limbic structures, the hippocampus also plays a role in a person's ability to overcome fear responses.

This finding is similar to other studies which have found that people with PTSD may have smaller hippocampi. Of course, as with most studies, it is not clear if the researchers' findings mean that PTSD leads to poor functioning of the hippocampus or if poor functioning of the hippocampus puts people at risk for PTSD. It is also not clear how treatments for PTSD may affect the hippocampus. More research is definitely needed. However, this study highlights a particular area of the brain that may be relevant to look at in understanding the symptoms of PTSD. You can read more about this study at CNN.com. You can also read more about PTSD in children here.

A recent study published in the scientific journal Child Abuse and Neglect found that the experience of physical abuse in childhood is associated with heart disease later in life. This was no small finding, as it was found that adults who had been abused as children had a 45 percent higher chance of experiencing heart problems later in life compared to those who had not experienced abuse as a child. It is not clear why this may occur; however, it is possible that early abuse causes children to become hyper-responsive to any stress, greatly taxing their body and physical health. This finding is quite similar to other research showing that PTSD is associated with heart disease.

Of course, it is important to note that this study asked adults about their experiences in childhood, and therefore, the researchers cannot say that childhood abuse caused later heart problems. However, this study is an important first step and suggests the need to identify children at risk and make sure those children get help, such as teaching them healthy emotion regulation skills. You can read more about this study at CNN.com.

The VA recently announced that they are changing the standard for obtaining PTSD-related benefits among veterans. Specifically, the VA is reducing the evidence requirements for demonstrating the experience of a traumatic event during service. This change is expected to? streamline the process of PTSD claims, resulting in veterans receiving quicker decisions on their claims. Prior to this change, veterans had to provide specific and detailed information (for example, verifiable names, locations and times when a traumatic event occurred) about a traumatic event to support their claim. Given the nature of environment or situation veterans were in during the occurrence of the traumatic event, many veterans found this difficult (if not impossible) to do. You can read more about this very important change at PBS Newshour. You can find out more information on PTSD in veterans in this article.

No matter where you look, you cannot help but hear stories about the devastating effects of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Although the event may not necessarily be viewed as a traumatic event in the traditional sense of the term, there is no doubt that this is an event associated with extreme levels of stress. For years to come, the oil spill will impact many people who rely on the Gulf for their livelihood, and as a result, this event has the great potential to lead to the development of depression and anxiety.

It is not a surprise then that several states are demanding that BP fund mental care care for those who have been affected by the oil spill. Specifically, officials in the states of Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, and Alabama are asking BP to provide millions of dollars to fund mental health outreach programs. You can read more about this story in the Clarion Ledger. Given that the oil spill will likely have long-term effects on the Gulf coast region and its residents, early intervention is key.

If you are suffering from the effects of the oil spill or know someone who is, share your story in the About.com PTSD forum. You may also want to read through the following article, which presents information on ways of coping with unpredictable and uncontrollable events. You can also read more about the oil spill and its impact on people in the Gulf coast region at the Clarion Ledger. In addition to continuing coverage of the oil spill, the Clarion Ledger's website on the oil spill also provides information on how you can help those in need.

It is common for people with PTSD to develop substance use problems, including alcohol abuse, drug abuse, and smoking. This is not incredibly surprising given the high level of distress that coincides with the experience of PTSD symptoms . As a result, people with PTSD may seek out ways to "self-medicate" their symptoms. Substance use may work well in the short-term, but in the end, substance use leads to a whole host of problems and the addiction can be very difficult to overcome.

If you have suffered from and overcome a substance use problem, share your story with others on how you overcame your addiction. If you still suffer from substance use, you may find the help you need in this article by reading the stories of others who found their way out of their addiction.

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