Insomnia and Sleeplessness http://www.sleeplessinsomnia.com/blog Who doesn't want to sleep like a baby? Sun, 10 Dec 2006 06:10:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 en The damaging effect of war http://www.sleeplessinsomnia.com/blog/2006/11/28/the-damaging-effect-of-war/ http://www.sleeplessinsomnia.com/blog/2006/11/28/the-damaging-effect-of-war/#comments Tue, 28 Nov 2006 13:28:26 +0000 swee Insomnia Medications http://www.sleeplessinsomnia.com/blog/2006/11/28/the-damaging-effect-of-war/ The soldiers returning from the war in Iraq may be well physically, however, most people who survived the war are at risk of suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD).

PTSD is characterised by the development of a long-lasting anxiety response following a traumatic or catastrophic event.  Typically individual experiences or witnesses a traumatic event such as actual or threatened death, serious injury to oneself or another person, or a threat to the personal intergrity of oneself or others.  The individual’s response involves helplessness, intense fear, or horror. 

PTSD usually develops within 3-6 months of the traumatic events and involves:

  • nightmares and disturbed sleep
  • images, dreams, or flashbacks of the traumatic event
  • avoidance of cues which act as reminders of the traumatic event
  • amnesia about important aspects of the traumatic event
  • intense arousal and anxiety on exposure to trauma cues
  • depressed or irritable mood
  • social withdrawal
  • concentration and memory difficulties
  • being easily startled

The typical traumatic events include: violent assault (eg.  sexual or physical assault or mugging); torture, being taken hostage, kidnapped, or held as a prisoner or war; terrorist attacks; severe car accidents; being victims of natural or man-made disasters; being diagnosed (or having a loved one diagnosed) with life-threatening illness; witnessing or learning about the unexpected death or injury of another person.

The National Center for PTSD has more information for sufferers.

 

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