PTSD

[Gail]

My son posted this on Facebook:

Quote:

According to Emory University, sadly enough, at any given time, 10% of the population suffers from the effects of PTSD.

IOW, 10% of the population is shell-shocked.

What happens when the rate of onset of PTSD outruns the time it takes to recover from it?

[Gregory Matthews]

Current thinking about PTSD is that it occurs outside of military activities. Therefore, the term "shell shocked" is not a good term to describe it.

PTSD is a serious illness. The hospital where I work has an inpatient treatment program that does good work.

[phkrause]

That's interesting Gregory, because all the people I know with this are all military.

[Igakusei]

IOW, 10% of the population is shell-shocked.

What happens when the rate of onset of PTSD outruns the time it takes to recover from it?

The units don't match the way you phrased it (onset is in persons per time, and time to recover is just time). Say the rate of PTSD onset is on average 1 person per day, and it takes on average 10 years to recover from. Once an equilibrium is reached, you end up with around 3650 people having PTSD at any time.

Now say the rate of PTSD onset doubles to 2 new cases per day, all other things remaining equal. That 3650 number starts climbing, but eventually two people will be "recovering" from it every day to balance out the two new daily cases. So at this point you have 6500 or so people with PTSD.

Realistically though, PTSD is something that most people never recover from. The scars usually fade with time, but they never go away and in many people they hardly fade at all. Or get worse. But they eventually die, so you can still find an equilibrium somewhere between the rate they develop PTSD and the rate that they leave the population.

Either way, 10% is a lot. And every time the topic of social welfare comes up, you'll get to hear someone call a huge chunk of them lazy.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

I would guess that it's way more than 10%...

all the people I know with this are all military

I wasn't in the military...

[Gail]

And the people that my son is primarily focused on are aid and relief workers. He himself suffered from it, too after his stint in Liberia

And I know the term shell-shock is a military one, but personally I do use it to describe anyone who has witnessed the horrors of violence or has been a victim of it, especially ongoing.

Stress doesn't need to be traumatic, but trauma does produce stress. I appreciate the comment about such sufferers being accused of being lazy because they are unable to work. I can only hope that doesn't happen.

[Gregory Matthews]

Here is what the NIMH (National Institute for Mental Health says:

Quote:

PTSD develops after a terrifying ordeal that involved physical harm or the threat of physical harm. The person who develops PTSD may have been the one who was harmed, the harm may have happened to a loved one, or the person may have witnessed a harmful event that happened to loved ones or strangers.

PTSD was first brought to public attention in relation to war veterans, but it can result from a variety of traumatic incidents, such as mugging, rape, torture, being kidnapped or held captive, child abuse, car accidents, train wrecks, plane crashes, bombings, or natural disasters such as floods or earthquakes.

[olger]

AOK

[Gail]

Wondering how much of it used to be labeled, "depression".

[LifeHiscost]

Considering that most reasonable individuals who find themselves in a position of PTSD would probably accept anything that would work to be delivered from PTSDs' affects, this below would seem to be worth whatever thoughtful consideration applies.

Quote:

The word of the Lord says, “Draw nigh to God, and” perhaps he will draw nigh to you? No, the promise is, “He will draw nigh to you.” God does not do anything for man without his cooperation. He draws you by the tender cords of his love, and as you respond to this drawing, you draw nigh to him. As you are seeking his face, the angels minister unto you. He has at his command ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of angels. They are constantly ascending and descending; for are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who shall be heirs of salvation? They are ministering in the cities, towns, and villages. They receive their commission from God, whose eye beholds all things; and when a soul is in discouragement, he sends help from heaven, even before the prayer for help is uttered. Before we ask, he commissions his ministers to go forth with divine aid. During the sleepless nights I have passed through the months of my illness, I have taken indescribable comfort in these thoughts. As soon as my mind was fixed on Jesus, the clouds of darkness were transformed, and all was light in the Lord. My soul was melted with his love. Fix the eyes upon Jesus, and say, “Lead me, guide me.” Your prayer will ascend before the Father as fragrant incense; for the merit of Christ will make it of value before God.

{Signs of the Times January 16, 1893, par. 4}

God cares!

[Gail]

[Gregory Matthews]

Religious faith can be an effective part of the treatment of PTSD--even though it is not the whole part. That is recognized by those who treat PTSD.

The hospital where I work has had a chaplain assigned to its inpatient PTSD unit for more than 20 years.

Books have been written on this subject. One such book was recently written by a SDA military chaplain.

NOTE: I do not have its title before me now. I may have it at work.

[phkrause]

How Do I Know If I Have PTSD?

Many of us have been through a traumatic event -- a frightening experience that has a deep emotional effect on us. Even if it didn’t happen to you directly, witnessing it or hearing about it can sometimes be enough to shake you up.

https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/do-i-have-ptsd?

[Rahab]

Yes and Praying and asking for anointing from the elders of the church can help this problem.

 

 I have witnessed this