PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder...The description below is from the National Center for PTSD
website:
A National Center for PTSD Fact Sheet
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a psychiatric disorder that can occur
following the experience or witnessing of life-threatening events such as
military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents, or
violent personal assaults like rape. People who suffer from PTSD often relive
the experience through nightmares and flashbacks, have difficulty sleeping, and
feel detached or estranged, and these symptoms can be severe enough and last
long enough to significantly impair the person's daily life.
PTSD is marked by clear biological changes as well as psychological symptoms.
PTSD is complicated by the fact that it frequently occurs in conjunction with
related disorders such as depression, substance abuse, problems of memory and
cognition, and other problems of physical and mental health. The disorder is
also associated with impairment of the person's ability to function in social or
family life, including occupational instability, marital problems and divorces,
family discord, and difficulties in parenting.