Helen Long
Mrs. Psomiadis, 4th period
English IV
11 February, 2018
PTSD: Persuasive Essay
About 7-8% of the world population will develop PTSD at some point in their lives. PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, is a psychiatric disorder that develops after one has been through an emotionally disturbing event, usually life-threatening. The effects of PTSD last at least three months and disrupts everyday life. Common symptoms include nightmares, flashbacks of the event, triggers that lead to flashbacks (may be caused by triggers), avoidance of situations that resemble the event, negative changes in beliefs and/or feelings, and hyperarousal (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs). Many associate PTSD solely with military combat, but the disorder also frequently stems from surviving a natural disaster, car accidents, domestic violence/abuse, assault, and other scarring experiences.
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According to “The criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder PTSD have changed considerably with the newest edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)”(Anushka Pai, Alina M. Suris, Carol S. North) As of today, PTSD is no longer considered an anxiety disorder, but rather part of a new symptomatic category titled “Trauma and Stressor-related Disorders”. In addition, the priorities of common symptoms have altered, and the definition of trauma is more objective than it once was, requiring “actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence”(Pai, Suris, North). These changes are depicted as very conservative, due to the definition of trauma being classified by the event itself regardless of the