Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is a very common anxiety disorder. In fact, most of the people who are admitted to mental health institutions have PTSD. Recent studies reveal that there is a lifetime risk for PSTD which is set at around 8 percent to 10 percent. Studies also reveal that while many people may be exposed to traumatic events and the likes, not all of them are at risk of having PTSD. Further, experts discovered that women who have been exposed to trauma are more likely to have PTSD than men. Reasons behind this are still subject to further study.

Another interesting discovery is that people who have not directly experienced a traumatic event or occurrence are also at risk of having PTSD. A perfect example for this is the September 11 World Trade Center terrorist attack

Aside from experiences of trauma, which may be direct or non-direct, some of the factors that may lead to a person’s susceptibility to PTSD are pre-existing emotional disorders, abuse of illegal substances like drugs and alcohol, a family history of anxiety or depression or other emotional disorders under the same category, or a personal history of abuse, lack of social support, and sleep disorders.

Originally a drug meant to control bleeding, Ecstasy or MDMA (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a psychedelic drug used by a lot of people at “raves,” clubs and other parties to keep on dancing and for mood enhancement

Who would have known that this drug can possibly be used to treat PTSD?

Some people may hesitate to believe this possibility, but a woman who was diagnosed with PTSD tried Ecstasy. According to her, the drug actually worked!

One woman testified that Ecstasy was the drug that had been responsible for making her feel alive again. The tablet gave her back the gaiety she lost when she encountered the trauma that caused her to have PTSD. She felt lightheaded as the drug Ecstasy melted her anxieties away.

Prior to taking the drug, the woman claimed that she felt dead inside. She was terrified, anxious, and unable to interact and communicate with others, not even with her husband and her child. But because she heed the advice of her doctor, who prescribed Ecstasy as a cure for her PTSD, the woman says that she feels well again.

To read the full account of this story, please click the link below:

http://www.november.org/stayinfo/breaking08/XTrials.html

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is a type of anxiety disorder that is caused by a psychologically traumatic and disturbing experience. It is a common mental health problem for children, teens, and adults, regardless of their sex.  In order for a person to be diagnosed with PTSD, he or she should first exhibit the following symptoms: Recurrent flashbacks of the event or occurrence that brought drama; avoidance to the point of trauma, to the thing or the places which reminds the person of his or her traumatic experience, regardless of whether this particular thing or place is indeed directly related to his or her traumatic experience; difficulty in sleeping and concentrating to the point of chronic physical signs of hyperarousal.

Symptoms of PTSD may occur three months after the trauma, or after several years or so.

Unlike other mental health problems, PTSD may be cured through therapies. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as well as group therapy are among those that are considered to be most effective.

It is important to cure a person who is diagnosed with PTSD because this disorder may cause devastating effects to the family and friends of the person who is suffering from it. Moreover, pregnant women who have PTSD are likely to pass on a certain chemical to the body of the child in her womb, thus making that child susceptible to PTSD later on in life when he or she would encounter.