Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; The Real Story

“How do you pick up the threads of your old life, how do you go on, when in your heart, you begin to understand , there is no going back?” - Froto, The Lord of the Rings

All of us have either seen, read, or heard of The Lord of the Rings, and its’ author, J.R.Tolkien. However, few people know of Tolkien’s history and how he was victim of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result of being a soldier in WWI. Veterans with PTSD is commonly heard of. In fact, it affects 31 percent of Vietnam veterans, as many as 10 percent of Gulf War (Desert Storm) veterans. 11 percent of veterans of the war in Afghanistan. The statement above made by one of Tolkien’s most iconic characters, Froto, is a great example of of what a lot of people with PTSD ask themselves on a daily basis.

So what is PTSD? According to Merriam Webster dictionary it is a physiological disorder generated by either witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event. PTSD is usually heard only from war veterans, but it can also occur after losing a loved one, rape, attack, robbery, or even losing a job. In fact, 7% of all Americans have or have had PTSD, and at all times, 5% suffer from it. A lot of common side-effects from PTSD are nightmares, flashbacks, avoidance, fear, guilt, anxiety, depression, rage, insomnia, and unfortunately, substance abuse. There is a strong correlation between substance abuse and and PTSD, 2 in every 10 vets with PTSD struggle with substance abuse, and 1 in every 3 vets seeking help for substance abuse have PTSD .

A big question is; What going on in the brain during this time? The amygdala, which is responsible for our emotions, determines that danger exists. The brain then triggers the fight-or-flight chemical. The drive for survival takes over, and the person’s adrenaline is rushing. The brain thinks it is now in the middle of the dangerous event. It is not actually  looking in at the event taking place, but remembering its’ traumatic memory, and therefore, the entire system is not easily subject to rational control, as they only responding to their fight-or-flight response. The brain stops the horror of the event before it becomes a full real-time unattainable reality. It “walls off” the event, and in extreme cases induces amnesia. It is a very healthy survival technique. The limbic system then floods the body with a wave of stress hormone (Cortisol) which does things like like raising blood sugar, blood pressure and heart rate, and interfering with digestion.  

A normal brain Vs. A PTSD brain

If the trauma is prolonged, extreme or repetitive, it can actually physically injure the brain.  Neuroimagery actually suggests that trauma and the chemical processes that go with it might lead to damage or shrink the hippocampus, which is where all our memories are stored. It is almost as if the amygdala is stuck in the position described above. It keeps the person’s body from working properly. Neurotransmitters lose their ability to recover. Long after the original trauma ends, the person suffers from the symptoms. He or she lives and responds to reality as if it were a memory fragment from long ago. He or she cannot separate “now and safe” from “now and danger.” The amygdala keeps shutting them down. The PTSD sufferer is not able to tell if the situation they are in is safe or not, and are always afraid. almost everything seems like a threat to them.

Despite all of this, there is always hope, the individual can always channel their PTSD into something productive, much like what Tolkien did. This is called Post-Traumatic Growth. Post -Traumatic Growth is the positive changes resulting from the struggle with challenging circumstances and life crisis. Even though PTSD is a huge problem, it is important to remember that it can be overcome.

In my opinion PTSD is not looked upon as important enough. It is a serious issue that affects normal people and those who risked their lives to protect us. I chose this article because I have always been interested in physiological/neurological illnesses and how they affect normal people. It really gives us a perspective into the brain and how it can be manipulated by events. 

http://www.washacadsci.org/Journal/Journalarticles/V.93-3-Post%20Traumatic%20Stress%20Disorder.%20Sethanne%20Howard%20and%20Mark%20Crandalll.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=343ORgL3kIc&src_vid=343ORgL3kIc&feature=iv&annotation_id=annotation_2677887083