This paper examines posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as an anxiety illness resulting from exposure to overwhelming stressful events such as combat, sexual assault, and natural disasters. It defines PTSD, discusses the three categories of traumatic causes (intentional human acts, unintentional accidents, and acts of nature), and explores the significant role spirituality and faith play in recovery. The paper reviews key symptoms including nightmares, flashbacks, and emotional numbing, then presents assessment criteria and evidence-based treatment options including prolonged exposure, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and cognitive therapy. Research demonstrates that immediate treatment produces substantially better outcomes than delayed intervention.
Each year, men and women serve in combat for the United States, but many do not return the same. Beyond the battlefield, trauma takes many forms. Some individuals are physically or sexually abused in their own homes, while others lose everything to natural disasters. All of these events share a common psychological aftermath: posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This paper defines PTSD, examines the critical role of spirituality in trauma recovery, and explores the assessment tools and treatment options available to PTSD patients.
PTSD affects many people today, triggered by events such as rape, warfare, hurricanes, and other overwhelming stressors. Consider a woman walking home from a grocery store who is suddenly grabbed, taken to a hotel, and beaten and sexually assaulted. Depending on her circumstances and available support, she may develop PTSD. If she does, she might suffer from insomnia as she replays the trauma repeatedly, or from guilt and shame as she questions what she could have done differently. Though many suffer from this anxiety disorder, recovery is possible with proper support and treatment.
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is defined as a condition resulting from exposure to an overwhelmingly stressful event (Schiraldi, 2009). Typically, PTSD occurs suddenly without warning, and the body naturally attempts to defend itself. Because of this involuntary response, PTSD should be viewed as an illness rather than a disease. In 1980, the American Psychiatric Association formally defined PTSD and established the clinical terminology used today (Schiraldi, 2009).
The prevalence of PTSD among military personnel is significant. The National Center for PTSD estimates that one in ten Gulf War veterans suffer from the condition, while up to 20 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans experience it (Lyons, 2012). Additionally, 30 percent of Vietnam veterans have developed PTSD (Lyons, 2012). These statistics underscore the widespread impact of combat-related trauma.
PTSD arises from three distinct categories of traumatic causes, each requiring different recovery approaches (Schiraldi, 2009). Intentional human causes—the most difficult category from which to recover—are deliberate acts such as rape, isolation, physical abuse, and hijacking. Unintentional human causes include accidents such as fires, burns, plane crashes, and structural collapses. Acts of nature, though emotionally painful, typically require less extensive recovery periods and include hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes (Schiraldi, 2009).
It is important to note that even acts of nature can trigger PTSD if the individual witnesses a loved one's death during the event or loses something deeply valued (Schiraldi, 2009). In these cases, the meaning of the loss, not the event's category, determines psychological impact.
Individuals with PTSD experience both emotional and physical symptoms, including nightmares, headaches, flashbacks, social withdrawal, sadness, anger, guilt, fatigue, sexual dysfunction, and emotional numbing (Schiraldi, 2009). These symptoms cause profound pain to both the affected individual and their family. Current estimates suggest that as many as 300,000 veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are living with PTSD.
Research reveals the severity of symptom burden. In one study, patients with PTSD reported willingness to surrender 13.6 years of their life to live free from PTSD symptoms ("Post-traumatic," 2011). More striking, these individuals were willing to accept a treatment with a 13 percent chance of immediate death to achieve complete symptom relief ("Post-traumatic," 2011). This finding powerfully demonstrates how devastating PTSD can be—sufferers will risk everything to escape the disorder.
Delayed treatment worsens outcomes. When combat soldiers return from deployment, they are given a Post-deployment Health Assessment (PDHA), yet many do not report PTSD symptoms for various reasons. Some fear appearing weak and therefore protect their ego (Schiraldi, 2009), while others are preoccupied with reuniting with family and simply want to return home quickly. When soldiers do not report symptoms early, healing is postponed, and the disorder can damage home life and other social relationships (Schiraldi, 2009).
When PTSD strikes, the sufferer must find resources for healing. For many, the answer lies in faith and spirituality. However, individuals without a strong faith foundation may struggle to see God as real or caring after trauma. Consider a combat soldier who is talking to a friend when suddenly the friend is shot and killed by an enemy soldier. Witnessing such an event can shatter one's belief system. Even Jesus expressed profound spiritual doubt in the Gospels, crying out, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?"—a cry that mirrors what trauma survivors may feel without solid faith foundations.
Research supports spirituality's healing potential. Studies have found that organized spiritual practices resulted in significant improvement in both spiritual health and physical health (Chen & Koenig, 2006). Spiritual well-being encompasses positive psychological attributes such as patience, forgiveness, resilience, personal responsibility, and harmonious relationships with self and others. These aspects complete the human developmental process, encompassing biological, psychological, social, and spiritual components (Meier et al., 2005).
The spiritual dimension involves searching for meaning, understanding moral and ethical relationships with oneself and others, and seeking reasons for existence (Meier et al., 2005). Incorporating spiritual resources can help individuals overcome the loss of meaning and purpose that trauma inflicts, facilitating recovery from debilitating psychological wounds (PTSD development and treatment studied, 2007).
Clinical assessment of PTSD relies on four basic criteria: stressor exposure, re-experiencing symptoms, numbing or avoidance, and hyperarousal (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). In addition, two component requirements must be met: the event must qualify as traumatic, and the individual must have experienced fear, helplessness, or horror during the trauma (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Once diagnosed, treatment typically falls into three domains: exposure-based therapy, cognitive-behavioral approaches, and medical intervention (Schiraldi, 2009).
Exposure therapy allows the client to experience and process their trauma in a safe, controlled environment, often imaginatively. Cognitive-behavioral approaches teach the victim to restructure their thinking patterns and process trauma-related beliefs. Medical intervention may include pharmacological treatment to manage co-occurring symptoms.
Approximately 80 percent of individuals with PTSD have a co-occurring psychiatric or substance use disorder, meaning counselors typically must address both conditions (Foa, 2009). One evidence-based option is prolonged exposure (PE), a form of therapeutic re-experiencing that has demonstrated effectiveness, particularly for women who have experienced assault-related traumas (Foa, 1997).
Another widely used method is eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). During EMDR, the person focuses on a moving pencil or draws a picture—any activity that keeps the eyes moving. While performing this activity, the counselor asks questions about the trauma. This dual focus induces a relaxing state, allowing the person to process traumatic memories in a controlled setting with professional support while their attention is partially diverted from the distressing content (Schiraldi, 2009).
Cognitive therapy is another common approach that helps clients restructure their thinking patterns. It is most effective when initiated shortly after the traumatic event (Schiraldi, 2009). A UK study examined cognitive therapy for non-terrorism-related traumas, including traffic accidents and rape, involving 58 PTSD participants split into two groups. One group received immediate treatment, while the second waited 12 weeks. Results were striking: the group receiving immediate therapy showed significant and substantial reductions in PTSD symptoms and depression, while the delayed-treatment group showed no improvement; instead, 38 percent deteriorated (PTSD development and treatment studied, 2007). This finding underscores the critical importance of prompt intervention.
It is unfortunate that people must endure traumatic events. However, recovery is possible. Having a good support system, seeking professional guidance, avoiding alcohol and drugs, learning relaxation techniques, and challenging feelings of helplessness are vital to healing ("PTSD: Dealing and Healing," 2012).
This paper has introduced the definition of PTSD, examined the importance of spirituality during traumatic experiences, reviewed healing approaches, and emphasized the necessity of seeking treatment immediately. One should never feel embarrassed about trauma. These events happen, which is why psychologists view PTSD as an illness rather than a disease. With support from community, loved ones, and professional counselors, PTSD is treatable and recovery is achievable.
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