PTSD awareness

For the past 25 years I have enjoyed working as a nurses aide as I still do. My job is so much more than making sure those I take care of look good, smell good and are sociable. To me these individuals become friends that come from a different era. I love talking to, joking with and being among those that have differences.

Among the many that I have taken care of you will find those that have served our great country the United States of America. While they are proud they also have wounds that many may not know of and others may never see. I feel most sorry for those that served and came home from Viet Nam. It was not a welcome home that they received and for many of them this is among the bad memories that they hold.

If you are with me then show your teal. Teal is the color for Post traumatic Stress Disorder awareness. June is the month to draw awareness to PTSD and June 27th is PTSD awareness day

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is an anxiety disorder that can happen to anyone after a traumatic event. While anyone can get PTSD it is often associated with the military and combat vets. While it is a major health focus many years ago it was not. Many have called this disorder "irritable heart" during the civil war, "shell shock" and "combat hysteria" after world war I , "combat exhaustion or fatigue" and "stress response syndrome" between World War II and Vietnam. In 1980 PTSD was finally classified as a mental disorder by American Psychiatric Association.

PTSD can affect the central and autonomic nervous systems and the brain. Their are 4 main symptoms of PTSD (1) reliving the traumatic event (2) avoiding people or situations that remind you of it (3) negative attitudes toward yourself and others (4) being easily startled and constant feelings of jitterness. Often depression , fatigue, anxiety and insomnia travels along with PTSD.

To be diagnosed with PTSD the symptoms must last more than a month, gain in occurrence, cause stress or interfere with daily functions.