Ways To Prove PTSD

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a anxiety disorder caused by exposure to overwhelmingly traumatic event. An individual is usually threatened with death or serious injury or witnessing the death or injury of a loved one or relative. It involves fear, horror, guilt and helplessness which may haunt the injured person for years. This is a mental condition that may be evidenced primarily by empirical, psychological evidence and some level of proof of the traumatic event. There is no physical diagnostic test to determine the existence of this emotional disorder.

Symptoms of PTSD

People who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as rape victims, combat veterans, people involved in sudden car accidents where loved ones were killed or family and friends of assault victims will often suffer from PTSD.

Repeatedly reliving or re-experiencing the traumatic event in nightmares, dreams or waking flashbacks
Experiencing distress when asked about or reminded of the traumatic event
Avoidance of anything that reminds that individual of the traumatic event
Memory loss concerning the traumatic event
Avoiding people and places the remind the person of the traumatic event
Numb or dead emotions concerning the traumatic event
Increased sensitivity concerning reminders of the traumatic event
Feeling of guilt associated with the event
Loss of enjoyment of activities the previously the individual enjoyed doing

Proving PTSD

Diagnostic proof of this mental condition could be provided by a psychiatrist or a licensed psychologist based on repeated examinations of the injured person. Some providers will offer the injured person supportive psychotherapy and antidepressant medications may also be offered. Antidepressants alter brain chemistry and are not very effective in a traumatized patient with normal brain chemistry. Anti-anxiety medications may also be offered but generally the only real healer is going to be time. This kind of chronic mental disorder usually will lessen significantly in severity with time. Alcoholic and drug addictive personalities may try to self medicate resulting in severe addiction situations which must be must be treated in unison with the underlying PTSD condition.

Getting Legal Help

If you or a member of your family is suffering from PTSD or a post traumatic stress disorder mental injury it may be helpful to discuss the circumstances that created the disorder with a personal injury lawyer. An attorney can determine if you have a cause of action against the perpetrator of an assault or against the driver of a motor vehicle that may have resulted in a life altering medical impairment by way of the injured person and he can take the legal steps necessary to protect his rights and interests.

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