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Diagnosing PTSD.
The search to understand PTSD began long before it first appeared in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) after the Vietnam War. Prior to that it went by other names like Da Costa syndrome soldiers heart, shell shock, and combat fatigue (Chamberlin, 2012, p. 360). PTSD symptoms are also noted amongst great characters in the Bible. Kings David and Solomon both faced PTSD symptoms after battles of their time (Tick, 2013). All of the early groundwork and history paved the way for a proper and concise diagnosis that is recognized today.
DSM-IV Criteria.
PTSD was first admitted into the DSM-III in 1980. The DSM-IV recognizes PTSD as an anxiety disorder characterized by symptoms of re-experiencing, hyperarousal, and avoidance. These symptoms follow after a traumatic event has occurred within the victims life; they may have had something traumatic happen directly to them (i.e. rape, car accident), or witnessed it. Symptoms usually occur within three months of the event with a duration of more than a month and are severe enough to interfere with the victims life. Occasionally PTSD symptoms can begin six months after the critical incident in which case it is known as delayed onset (Breslau & Alvardo, 2007). .
Epidemiology.
PTSD has been long associated with soldiers on the battlegrounds seeing gruesome scenes around them. While veterans and other professions that endure high, repeated levels of trauma are at the highest risk for developing PTSD, any person can develop PTSD after experiencing a severe enough situation. PTSD can occur due to a wide range of situations from natural disasters to car crashes (Breslau & Alvardo, 2007). PTSD affects young adults more than other age groups. Where gender is concerned, women are affected by PTSD at higher rate than men (Padden & Agazio, 2013). Natural disasters can have lasting effects, one being PTSD. After an earthquake in LAquila in 2009 PTSD was recorder to be 37.
