It is a psychiatric disorder that appears in people who have experienced a dramatic episode in their life (war, kidnapping, violent death of a family member).
People who suffer from this syndrome often experience nightmares that recall a tragic past experience.
In these cases, it is necessary to differentiate this syndrome from other problems triggered by “everyday” life situations, such as divorce, family conflicts, or financial problems.
Causes
Currently, specialists do not know the exact cause of why a traumatic event can cause this syndrome in some people but not in others.
In these cases, genes, emotions, and family circumstances play an important role. Past emotional traumas may increase the risk of developing this disorder after a recent traumatic event.
Under normal circumstances, the stress hormones and chemicals the body secretes in response to a stressful event return to normal levels within a short period of time. However, in people with post-traumatic stress syndrome, the body continues to secrete hormones and chemicals.
The causes that provoke this pathology can be:
• A robbery, rape, or being a victim of gender-based violence.
• Terrorism or war.
• Imprisonment or a car accident.
• Natural disasters.
Symptoms
In some cases, symptoms may appear years after the underlying event. The most characteristic signs are:
• Recalling trauma, nightmares, or instantaneous, involuntary memories at any time of day.
• Hallucinations with the idea that the traumatic event is repeating itself.
• Extreme anxiety when coming into contact with people, places, or any circumstance that reminds you of the event.
The patient usually avoids conversations, places, people, and, in general, anything that could be related to the trauma.
• Palpitations, difficulty breathing, and increased sweating every time the triggering event is recalled.
• Inability to remember important details of the traumatic event.
• Feeling psychically distant, numb, and paralyzed by any normal emotional experience.
• Losing interest in hobbies and entertainment.
• Show signs of hyperactivity: Difficulty sleeping, irritability, inability to concentrate, or becoming alarmed easily.
Symptoms last at least a month and affect the patient’s ability to resume normal life, whether at home, at work, or in social situations.
Treatments
The treatment is long-term, which explains the high rate of therapy abandonment. It is estimated that 75 percent of treated patients abandon the treatment.
Therapy is based on a combination of medications and psychotherapy. The drugs used are targeted at treating the various symptoms of the syndrome, focusing on the most severe. The medications commonly prescribed are antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications.
