Post-traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder that's triggered by your memories of a traumatic event

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Overview

Post-traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder that's triggered by your memories of a traumatic event -- an event that directly affected you or an event that you witnessed. The disorder commonly affects survivors of traumatic events, such as sexual assault, physical assault, war, torture, a natural disaster, an automobile accident, an airplane crash, a hostage situation or a death camp. Post-traumatic stress disorder also can affect rescue workers at the site of an airplane crash or a mass shooting. It can affect someone who witnessed a tragic accident.

Not everyone involved in a traumatic event experiences post-traumatic stress disorder. However, the disorder affects more than 5 million adults each year in the United States. Post-traumatic stress disorder is twice as common in women as it is in men. Treatment may involve a combined approach including medications and behavior therapy designed to help you gain control of your anxiety.

Signs and symptoms

Signs and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder typically appear within three months of the traumatic event. However, in some instances, they may not occur until years after the event and may include: § Flashbacks and distressing dreams associated with the traumatic event. § Distress at anniversaries of the trauma. § Efforts to avoid thoughts, feelings and activities associated with the trauma. § Feelings of detachment or estrangement from others and an inability to have loving feelings. § Markedly diminished interest or participation in activities that once were an important source of satisfaction. § In young children, delayed or developmental retrogression in such areas as toilet training, motor skills and language. § Hopelessness about the future -- no hope of a family life, career or living to old age. § Physical and psychological hypersensitivity -- not present before the trauma -- with at least two of the following reactions: trouble sleeping, anger, difficulty concentrating, exaggerated startle response to noise, and physiological reaction to situations that remind you of the traumatic event. These physiological reactions may include an increase in blood pressure, a rapid heart rate, rapid breathing, muscle tension, nausea and diarrhea. Risk factors

The severity of the traumatic event and how long the event lasted appear to be factors in the development of this disorder. Other factors that may increase the likelihood of developing post-traumatic stress disorder include:

§ A previous history of depression or other emotional disorder § A previous history of physical or sexual abuse § A family history of anxiety § Early separation from parents § Being part of a dysfunctional family § Alcohol abuse § Drug abuse

When to seek medical advice

It's normal to undergo a wide range of feelings and emotions after a traumatic event. The feelings you experience may include fear and anxiety, a lack of focus, sadness, changes in sleeping or eating patterns, or bouts of crying that come easily. You may have recurrent thoughts or nightmares about the event. If you have these disturbing feelings for more than a month, if they're severe or if you feel you're having trouble getting your life back under control, consider seeing your doctor or a mental health professional.

Overview

Schizophrenia is a chronic and often debilitating mental illness. The condition can cause you to withdraw from the people and activities in the world around you and to retreat into a world of delusions or separate reality.

Signs and symptoms

Signs and symptoms of schizophrenia may include:

§ Delusions -- personal beliefs not based in reality, such as paranoia that you're being persecuted or conspired against § Bizarre delusions -- for example, a belief in Martians controlling your thoughts § Hallucinations -- sensing things that don't exist, such as imaginary voices § Incoherence § Lack of emotions or inappropriate display of emotions § A persistent feeling of being watched § Trouble functioning at work or in social situations

Generally, schizophrenia causes a slowly progressive deterioration in the ability to function in various roles, especially in your job and personal life. The signs and symptoms of schizophrenia vary greatly. A person may behave differently at different times. He or she may become extremely agitated and distressed, or fall into a trance-like, immobile, unresponsive (catatonic) state, or even behave normally much of the time. Signs and symptoms that occur continuously and progressively may indicate schizophrenia. In general, schizophrenia has symptoms that fall into three categories -- negative, positive and cognitive:

Negative signs and symptoms

Negative signs and symptoms may appear early in the disease, and a person may not think he or she needs treatment. They're referred to as negative because they indicate a loss of behavior or of a personality trait. Negative signs generally accompany a slow deterioration of function, leading to your becoming less sociable.

Such signs may include:

§ Dulled emotions (lack of expression) § Inappropriate emotions (laughing while expressing terrifying images) § A change in speech (speaking in a dull monotone) Positive signs and symptoms Positive signs include hallucinations and delusions. They're called positive because they indicate a trait or behavior that's been added to the personality. § Hallucinations. Hallucinations occur when you sense things that don't exist. The most common hallucination in schizophrenia is hearing voices. You may carry on a conversation with voices that no one else can hear. Or you may perceive that voices are providing you instructions on what to do. Hallucinations may result in injuries to other people.

§ Delusions. Delusions are firmly held personal beliefs that have no basis in reality. The most common subtype of schizophrenia is paranoid schizophrenia, in which you hold irrational beliefs that others are persecuting you or conspiring against you. For example, some people with schizophrenia may believe that the television is directing their behavior or that outside forces are controlling their thoughts.

Cognitive signs and symptoms

These signs and symptoms tend to be more subtle than positive and negative ones. Cognitive signs and symptoms may include: § Problems making sense of incoming information § Difficulty paying attention § Memory problems

Misconceptions about schizophrenia

Schizophrenia may exist alone or in combination with other psychiatric or medical conditions. Misconceptions about schizophrenia and its relation to other mental illnesses abound. The following truths will help clarify what it is and is not:

§ Schizophrenia isn't the same as a split or multiple personality. Multiple personality disorder is a separate, rare condition. § Although some people with schizophrenia develop violent tendencies, most don't. Many withdraw into themselves rather than interact with others. § Not everyone who acts paranoid or distrustful has schizophrenia. Some people have a paranoid personality disorder, a tendency to be suspicious or distrustful of others, without the other features of schizophrenia. § Not everyone who hears voices is schizophrenic. Some people with depression may hear voices. Hearing voices may also occur as a result of a serious medical illness or from the effects of medication. Substance abuse and schizophrenia

While not necessarily a sign of schizophrenia, drug abuse is more common in people with schizophrenia. Nicotine is a commonly abused drug by people with schizophrenia; it's estimated that 75 percent to 90 percent of people with schizophrenia smoke compared with about one-quarter of the general population. Unfortunately some drugs, such as amphetamines, cocaine and marijuana, can make schizophrenia symptoms worse. Others, such as nicotine, can interfere with schizophrenia medications.

Causes

Researchers haven't identified the cause or causes of schizophrenia, although they believe genetic factors play a role. About 1 percent of the general population develops schizophrenia compared with 10 percent of those with a close family relative who has the disease. Chemical or subtle structural abnormalities in the brain may contribute to causing this illness.

When to seek medical advice

By its nature, schizophrenia often isn't an illness for which someone is likely to voluntarily seek treatment. To a person with schizophrenia, the delusions and hallucinations are real, and often he or she may believe there's no need for medical help. If you're a family member or friend of someone who is exhibiting possible signs of schizophrenia or another mental disorder, you may need to be the one who takes him or her to a medical professional for evaluation. Additionally, people with schizophrenia are more likely to attempt suicide, so if your loved one talks about committing suicide, seek professional help immediately.

Screening and diagnosis

Before making a diagnosis of schizophrenia, your doctor likely will rule out other possible causes of the signs that may suggest schizophrenia. It's possible that other mental or physical illnesses may cause signs similar to schizophrenia.

Your doctor will want to discuss your family and medical history and do a physical examination. Your doctor may ask for blood or urine samples to see if medications, substance abuse or another physical illness may be a factor in your signs.

Among the other mental illnesses that may at least partly resemble schizophrenia are depression, bipolar disorder, other psychoses, and abuse of alcohol and other drugs.

It's also possible that physical illnesses such as certain infections, cancers, nervous system disorders, thyroid disorders and immune system disorders may produce some psychotic signs. Psychosis is also a possible side effect of some medications. If no other underlying cause is found, doctors diagnose schizophrenia based on the signs and symptoms.

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Speech Anxiety: A Rational Fear Carried Too Far

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People, on average, detest the idea of giving a speech. If you have ever been forced to take a course in public speaking at the high school or college level you have probably witnessed what strong forms of speech anxiety can produce. Shakiness, stuttering, visible sweating, hyperventilation and even fainting are possible among those with a great deal of anxiety who are forced to get behind the podium.

A series of studies confirms the fact that public speaking is feared more than death. Think about that for a moment and just how ludicrous it is. More people are afraid of delivering a simple presentation than they are of life's end. Clearly, that is irrational. No logical person would trade their life away in order to avoid ten minutes in front of co-workers discussing recent company trends.

So, we know that speech anxiety is common. We know that it can lead to all sorts of discomfort and nastiness for people forced to confront it. We also know that many people are so afraid of speaking that they consider it a fate worse than death. All of that points to one conclusion: speech anxiety is a very powerful force.

The fear of public speaking, although more intensely felt than some other fears, still holds a lot in common with other sources of nervousness. Assuming a fear is misplaced to at least some extent, the original source of the worry tends to stem from some level of personal insecurity and/or a lack of information. Ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance creates fear, and that fear is intensified even more when we know we are ignorant. That is the case with public speaking.

We do not feel comfortable giving a speech and we know it. We feel unprepared, disorganized and unsure of our ability to make a point without humiliating ourselves in front of others. We feel inadequate and we know it long before we open our mouths to give an introduction. Had we found the information necessary to approach speech construction and delivery and learned it, we would feel better about the situation.

If everyone knew some simple ways to come up with a great presentation and some simple tricks regarding delivery, they could approach public speaking with a greater level of assuredness. If they knew even more about public speaking--perhaps even some details and perspective on speech anxiety--their fear would be even further mitigated.

There are few people in the world who can hop up in front of others and being speaking without hesitation or fear. They are the exceptions. Most of us, all things being otherwise equal, would choose to avoid giving a public presentation. That preference may be a reflection of our personality, but it is also a reflection of our good sense.

You see, we do not want to give a speech because we know we are inadequately prepared to do a good job. Our fears may be inappropriately large, but they are rooted in some honest self-assessment. We fear what we do not know. We fear that even more when we know just how much we do not know!

If you were called upon to deliver a public speech today, how would you react? If you said you would be glad to do so and were ready to go that means one of two things: either you have a great deal of confidence based on having developed good public speaking skills or you are one of those few people who have no qualms about presenting (even if they don't have the talent or technique to do it well). In other words, those who have no fear of public speaking are either skilled or ignorant without realizing it.

The fear of public speaking is rational. Many people, however, carry that rational fear to an irrational extreme.

How can we combat this? The answer is simple: information. If once is willing to seek out information and guidance regarding the development of public speaking, anxiety can be calmed. Information also leads to the development of skills, which will further abate any speech anxiety. There is even available information that deals directly with the issue of speech anxiety, making it that much easier to conquer. Fear breeds in ignorance, and eradicating that ignorance with a solid guide to public speaking is a sensible solution to the problem.

For more information regarding Public Speaking please visit

Public Speaking

Anxiety And Pregnancy

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Women and babies have been interrelated since the very beginning. It is a natural phenomenon and there is nothing unusual about it. All young women want to bear a child or in other words become a mother. These days even for a career woman the desire to give birth to a child and become a mother is bound to catch up and no other joy can ever replace the joy of becoming a mother in the hustle bustle of everyday life. There are several expectant mothers who suffer from severe stress and emotional turmoil and now the question arises that can pregnancy and the anxiety related to becoming a mother can bring her joy and contentment, equally

The answer to this question varies from woman to woman. A part of the past life of the expecting mother is always to be brought to light especially when she is going to give birth to a new life.

What things might make it more stressful

During pregnancy, a woman spends most of her time thinking and being drowned in her thoughts most of the times. The common thoughts during this time are will her new born be normal will she fail as a mother Will her baby have to go through the same problems as she had to go in her adolescence etc etc.This is quite expected as this is a preparatory stage for the mother to love the baby who is growing inside her womb and also her body is preparing to adapt to the changes to meet the demand of the new life which is growing inside of her.

It is seen in most cases that the anxiety during pregnancy triggers stress in the woman. The other factors that might lead to rigorous stress during pregnancy are:

A current miscarriage: This shakes the womans confidence and the woman tends to wonder whether she will ever experience the joy of becoming a mother and see her baby cry for the first time.
A uncertain income during the pregnancy
An inconsistent relationship with the babys father
No emotional and moral support
Unexpected and unwanted pregnancy that might mess up other plans of life.

It is very essential to be mentally stable during pregnancy and settle all the worries and doubts with her close friends, family members and doctors. It is not impossible to deal with anxiety and pregnancy. Like other crisis of life, pregnancy and anxiety can be very easily dealt with. The pregnant woman is the right person to determine what is best for her baby. No matter what all expecting mothers want to emerge as the best mother and would always want to do the best for the welfare of her child.

However, note that anxiety and pregnancy do not bear good results for the child. Several studies reveal the fact that if the mother is stressful and over anxious during her pregnancy then her baby is bound to develop stressful behavior later in life. Between the 12th and 23rd weeks the baby in the mothers womb is mostly likely to be affected by its mothers stress and anxiety.

What good can come out of it

Other than harboring some negative thoughts the expecting mother makes preparations to deal with anxiety and pregnancy. Several bodily changes take place during pregnancy.

One of the major concerns during this time is that whether their anxiety disorders will affect the unborn and worsen the pregnancy conditions and also after the baby is born whether they will be able to take care of the baby properly or not. Obviously, a great concern is whether or not the symptoms of their anxiety disorder will worsen during the pregnancy, and if they will be able to care for the baby after it is born. Whether intake of different medicines will affect the baby or not is also a cause of concern. All these thoughts however can elevate the levels of stress in the expecting mother.

The following facts can offer some hope for anxiety and pregnancy:

During the pregnancy period and breast feeding period the medicines for anxiety disorders are quite safe for the baby.

About 40% of women experience a precise decrease of the anxiety pattern during pregnancy. However during postpartum the set of anxiety symptoms may return.

The intake of medicines for anxiety disorders by the expecting mother can actually help in preventing the development of anxiety disorders in the baby later in life. If the mothers symptoms are not treated properly then however it may result in lower birth weight of the baby.

What can be done during pregnancy to deal with anxiety

About 10% of women develop anxiety symptoms during pregnancy. Following the steps below will definitely help them to deal with the situation in a better way.

Seek advice from your doctor about your plans to either become pregnant, or that you already are. The doctors instructions and medications will help you to deal with your anxiety and pregnancy strategically.

Bond with your partner in a more strong and intimate way. This would ensure support and love which would help in dealing with the situations in a better way.

Relax. Pursue hobbies according to your liking. Talk to your friends, go for walks, practice gardening. All these activities will divert you mind and keep your stress under control.

Open up to your husband or partner and close friends and discuss your causes of stress. This will definitely help.

Jacob Felts is the author of http://www.anxietycure.org - Learn about anxiety and chest pain here.

Anxiety Exercise

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