Post traumatic stress affects millions each year after disasters such as the Asian Tsunami and the War on Iraq. In recent years there have been many treatments, including EMDR and Drug Therapy. Now, virtual reality technology is being used to allow people to relive traumas after the event in controlled circumstances.
It is hypothesized that post traumatic stress arises when the brain is unable to process the horrors that it is seeing at the time, and that these traumatic images resurface as anxiety, depression, aggression or delusion at some point in the future when the trauma has passed. (Contrast this with the more immediate but temporary Acute Stress Reaction)
As the sufferer relives the trauma they can have the time and support available to process the sounds and images correctly, so that although the memory is intact, it is no longer so intrusive into their lives.
Overall, modern treatments are often successful and the prognosis for Post Traumatic stress disorder is good. The tragedy is that millions of people who need help for PTSD never get it. And without treatment it can really ruin a life by leading to deep depression, violence and suicide in some cases. Often treatment is hard to come by in the most traumatic parts of the world, like war torn areas of Africa. Also governments are often reluctant to provide decent therapy to soldiers who have been traumatized in conflicts. If you are someone you know might have PTSD then contact a medical professional ASAP and seek help.
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Here is the BBC article on the topic.
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