Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PSD) is defined as an experiencing of a traumatic event in either daytime reveries or dreams. Natural and / or mad-mad disaster are usually the stress experiences.

Symptoms:
The symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder are likely same as anxiety, depression and organic mental disorder. Assess the following symptoms when caring of posttraumatic stress disorder patients:

• Substance abuse
• Headache
• Memory (attention deficit)
• Pain

Beside of symptoms I mentioned above, psychosocial and cultural of the client should be assess too.

• Feeling of detachment and guilt
• Inability to feel emotions
• Impulsive behavior
• Anxiety of depression
• Nightmares
• Emotional lability
• Acting out, reliving traumatic experience

Planning:

• Safe and effective care environment
• Physiological integrity (to reduce or eliminate physiological symptoms of stress)
• Psychosocial integrity

Implementation:
There are four stages of implementation regarding Posttraumatic Stress Disorder patients:

1. Recovery: to assist patient to realize that he/she is safe
2. Avoidance: to provide support while patient attempts to suppress thought of traumatic experiences
3. Adjustment: to assist patient to alter environment if needed.