mptoms of the disorder usually begin shortly after the traumaticevent, but some people may not show symptoms for several years. If left untreated, thedisorder can last for years. Post-traumatic stress disorder can ruin someone’s life. Theemotional pain of reliving the trauma, the symptoms of the disorder may cause a person tothink that he or she is “going crazy.” People with this disorder may have angry outburstsat family members. At other times, they may seem to have no affection for their lovedones. Some people try to mask their symptoms by abusing alcohol or drugs. Others workvery long hours to prevent any down periods when they might relive the trauma. Suchactions may delay the onset of the disorder until these individuals retire or become sober.Treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder may involve psychotherapy, psychoactivedrugs, or both. Psychotherapists help individuals confront the traumatic experience, workthrough their strong negative emotions, and overcome their symptoms. Many people withpost-traumatic stress disorder benefit from group therapy with other individuals sufferingfrom the disorder. Physicians may prescribe antidepressants or anxiety-reducing drugs totreat the mood disturbances that sometimes accompany the disorder. Studies have foundfrom 1 to 14 percent of people suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder at some pointduring their lives. The findings vary widely due to differences in the populations studiedand the research methods used. Among people who have survived traumatic events, theprevalence appears to be much higher. The disorder may be particularly prevalent amongpeople who have served in combat. For example, one study of veterans of the VietnamWar found that veterans exposed to a high level of combat were nine times more likely tohave post-traumatic stress disorder than military personnel who did not serve in the warzone of Southeast Asia. In conclusion, the post-traumatic stress di...
