Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Australia

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is type of anxiety disorder that can develop in people who have experienced a traumatic event which threatened their life and safety or other people around them. Traumatic events can include car or other serious accidents, physical, sexual and verbal abuse, war and torture, natural disasters such as bushfires or floods.   

It is important to know the causes and symptoms of PTSD as it is a common mental illness that many Australians suffer with; that not only affects the individual but their families and others around them as well. Considering what has happened these past few years such as droughts, bushfires and COVID-19, there has been an increase in mental illness especially depression, anxiety and PTSD. 

Source: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/anxiety/types-of-anxiety/ptsd   

Organisation: Beyond Blue

The causes of PTSD:

PTSD can be caused by experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event that was life-threatening, involved serious injury or sexual violence.

The kind of experiences that are known to cause PTSD are:

·      Serious accidents

·      Natural Disasters

·      Living in a war zone as a victim of war or a soldier.

·      Sexual assault

·      Physical assault

·      Verbal and Psychological abuse

·      Witnessing people being hurt or killed

Any person can develop PTSD, though there are people who are at a greater risk of developing PTSD. There are many reasons why a person may develop PTSD while others do not.

These are some of the factors that put people at greater risk for PTSD:

·      Repeated trauma such as living in a war zone.

·      Having had a mental illness in the past such as anxiety and depression.

·      A history of trauma or abuse on childhood.

·      Experiencing severe trauma.

·      Not having enough support after trauma.

·      Extra life stresses after trauma.

·      People who have experience rape in the past.

An important fact is PTSD isn’t the only mental illness that is caused by traumatic events, anxiety and depression can just be as common. Depression, generalised anxiety, agoraphobia and PTSD are the most common disorders caused by traumatic events.

Source: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd#causes

Organisation: Health direct

Symptoms of PTSD:

Symptoms can include:

·      Re-living the trauma

·      Repetitive memories that intrude into everyday life

·      Nightmares

·      Extreme distress when reminded of the traumatic event

·      Memories and disturbing thoughts, that can be triggered by one of the five senses or other triggers

·      Staying away from places, people or objects that may trigger their memories of the trauma

·      Not wanting to talk or think about the event

·      Feeling numb

·      Negative beliefs of yourself and the world

·      Blaming yourself and others unreasonably

·      Emotionally detached from others

·      Intense worry, depression, anger and guilt

·      Excessive alertness

·      Easily startled

·      Irritable or aggressive behaviour

·      Difficulty sleeping

·      Poor concentration

For more information on symptoms on PTSD please visit: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/anxiety/types-of-anxiety/ptsd 

Treatments for PTSD in Australia:

Treatments in Australia include psychological therapies, physical treatment (medications) and self-help strategies. Group therapy is another treatment use for PTSD, group therapy can be effective though its best that continued exposure component of therapy occurs in an individual face-to-face session rather than in group therapy.

Psychological treatments are occasionally called talking therapies, this therapy can help people to change the ways of their thinking, helping them to cope better with life’s challenges. Psychological treatments can be done with one-on-one interaction, group based and online. This treatment is to help address the cause behind the person’s PTSD, as well in helping so it won’t return.

One psychological treatment is known as Trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This therapy teaches people how to think differently about life, perceived dangers and stress. It challenges their thinking patterns and reframes the way they think. Teaching them to face and challenge stressors instead of avoiding them. CBT usually consist of around 10 sessions of one to two hours. CBT is found to be the most effective therapy for PTSD.

Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) is another psychological treatment used for PTSD. EMDR was developed in the late 1980s, based around the idea that when PTSD occurs, strong emotions might affect how the person processes information. Patients are asked to keep focus on trauma-related thoughts, feelings and sensation in the body while watching the therapist moving fingers. The person’s attention on both things is thought to help with processing the traumatic event. EMDR can be effective with people who have trouble taking about their traumatic experience.

There are other psychological treatments such as hypnosis, interpersonal therapy and many more, these however have less research and evidence in how effective they will be with someone who has PTSD.

Physical treatments are also used for PTSD, medication is one of the most common for physical treatments however not everyone with PTSD will need it. The most effective medication for PTSD is the antidepressant named selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), other antidepressants that are used are serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and the noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressants (NaSSAs). Medications all have side effects and with affect everyone differently, so it’s important if anyone taking medication talk with their doctor.

Other physical treatments include acupuncture and a relative new treatment known as Repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), it has positive results with people suffering with depression and is now considered for PTSD.

Other treatments used for PTSD are De-arousal strategies such as breathing techniques, relaxation training, thinking strategies and managing worries. Relaxation techniques, yoga and exercise are all good for PTSD.

Source: https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/resources-support/post-traumatic-stress-order/treatment/

Organisation: Black Dog Institute

How common is PTSD in Australia?

 There is limited data on the prevalence of Australia, with 2 studies that suggest that 57-75% of Australians will experience a possible traumatic event at some point in their lives (Mills et al. 2011; Rosenman 2002).

According to the 2007 National survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 12% of Australians experience PTSD through out their lifetimes, women being at almost twice the risk of men (15.8% and 8.6% respectively) (ABS 2007).  A 2017-18 National health survey reported that 1.7% of women and 1.3% of men had been told that by a doctor, nurse or health professional that they had PTSD (point prevalence) (ABS 2019).

Trauma is more common among groups in Australia such as people who experience homelessness, young people in out-of-home care or under youth justice supervision, refugees, people experiencing family and domestic violence. LGBTQ+ and certain occupation groups for example emergency services, armed forces and veterans (Bendall et al. 2018; Phoenix Australia 2013). Cumulative exposure to work-related traumatic events is associated with increased risk of PTSD, with the disorder being more likely to be among long-term emergency services employees than new recruits (Phoenix Australia, 2013). This is supported by a study of the mental health of current and retired Australian firefighters, where prevalence of PTSD was more than two times higher in retired than current firefighters (18% and 7.7%, respectively) (Harvey et al. 2016).  Historical and current trauma suffered as a result of separation from family, land and cultural identity has also had a severe impact on the social and emotional health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (Bendall et al. 2018; AIHW 2018).

Source: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/stress-and-trauma

Organisation: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW)

How is PTSD changing in Australia?

There has most likely being an increase of people with PTSD in Australia as many were affected by the droughts, bushfires and with the pandemic COVID-19. Though Australia has been and is in the midst of unprecedented period of stress and trauma, there were new guidelines made for the treatment of people with PTSD in 2020.

Link to the guidelines: https://www.phoenixaustralia.org/australian-guidelines-for-ptsd/ 

These guidelines were developed by Phoenix Australia – Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health at the University of Melbourne, with funding from the Commonwealth Government Department of Health. They were approved by the National Health and Medical Research Council. The guidelines were based on the highest quality research available at the time and was developed in collaboration with a Guideline Development Group. The group included Australia’s leading trauma experts and specialist practitioners working with people affected by trauma.

Source: https://about.unimelb.edu.au/newsroom/news/2020/july/new-treatment-guidelines-to-help-1.1-million-ptsd-sufferers

Author: Damian Glass

The significance of PTSD in Australia:

 Considering the events Australian have suffered these past years, many are affected by mental illness, some have even developed PTSD, many not realising that they were suffering with such illness. PTSD has many consequences for not only the individual, family, and others but it affects the economy of Australia as well.

Like any illness PTSD has a significant economic impact on society. The Economic Cost of the Social Impact of Natural Disasters reviewed some of the impalpable costs: the 2010-11 Queensland floods and the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria. Residents in Queensland who were affected by floods were 5.3 times more likely to report poorer health than those not affected and 2.3 times more likely to develop PTSD (Alderman et al. 2013). Mental health issues were the largest financial impact of the floods, with a lifetime cost estimated at $5.9 billion. With the 2009 bushfires in Victoria there were more than 170 dead and 400 injured, the lifetime cost of mental issues was estimated to be more than $1 billion (Deloitte Access Economics 2016).

Source: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/stress-and-trauma

Organisation: AIHW

The impact PTSD has on the individual can be debilitating, affecting their ability to work, and performing day to day activities.  Often, they can seem disinterested or distant as they try not to think or feel in order to block out painful memories. They may find it hard to connect with family and friends, even stopping themselves from participating in family life or ignoring offers of help.  

Alcohol and other drugs are commonly used by people with PTSD to lessen the pain they are experiencing; it may help block out painful memories in the short term, however alcohol and drugs can get in their way of a successful recovery. This can lead to them becoming alcoholics and drug addicts. This abuse can lead to physical heath problems as well as mental health problems.

People who are friends or family with someone who has PTSD can be affected as well, in many cases feeling shut out by the person suffering with PTSD. It will also affect them mentally, emotionally, and physically when seeing persons with PTSD drinking heavily often, using illicit drugs, or even committing suicide. They too could experience trauma.

Source: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ConditionsAndTreatments/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd#impact-of-ptsd-on-relationships-and-day-to-day-life

Organisation: Better Health Channel

The different perspectives on PTSD:

Many people have the same perspectives on PTSD whether that’s to do with the causes and treatments. As we all know PTSD has probably been around since the beginning of humans, though it only got its official name in 1980.

The issues with some perspectives on PTSD are that many are stigmas, such as they may be violent, unpredictable, dangerous and it only affect soldiers. In many cases of PTSD, the person has never been soldier, though occupations can cause PTSD. And always being dangerous is also not true, a person with PTSD is more of a danger to themselves than others around them.

Fortunately, there are many services now that help people with PTSD, with organisations assisting especially the Phoenix Australia Organisation. With better understanding of PTSD, it’s a recognised mental illness in which people who are suffering with it can access better treatment and better support from health professionals.

My opinion on this issue:

This issue can be helped, though we do live in a world where there are unforeseen occurrences, anyone can go through a traumatic event and developed PTSD.  I think this issue will increase as time goes on as there are more wars, natural disasters, and of course personal tragedies.

With more mental illnesses becoming more common to have, people must be more informed. Having such knowledge can reduce stigmas as well as ignorance that people have towards others suffering with mental illness especially PTSD. Many older people may have not had support with their PTSD, but with so much information today, I know that people can get help with enough support from family and health services.

Bibliography:

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/anxiety/types-of-anxiety/ptsd

Organisation: Beyond Blue

I believe this information is valid as Beyond Blue is an organisation for mental health and provides ways to get help.

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd#causes

Organisation: Health Direct

This website is a government website, as well as being mainly used for health. I also found information that was also used on many other websites.

https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/resources-support/post-traumatic-stress-order/treatment/

Organisation: Black Dog Institute

I trust the information from this website as it a medical research institute, so information would have to be valid.

https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/stress-and-trauma

Organisation: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

Again, because it’s a government website, it’ll need to be accurate, and it also had similar information to other websites.

https://about.unimelb.edu.au/newsroom/news/2020/july/new-treatment-guidelines-to-help-1.1-million-ptsd-sufferers

Author: Damian Glass

I found it on a website, where many other authors publish articles as well. I still believe its valid as many links went to the correct places, and they referenced an organisation specifically for PTSD.

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ConditionsAndTreatments/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd#impact-of-ptsd-on-relationships-and-day-to-day-life

Organisation: Better Health Channel

It a health website that is also a government website and has many content partners, which they probably wouldn’t be partners if the information wasn’t trustworthy.

Author Notes:

I wrote this in 2021, information may be outdated and different world events that have occurred since then may not be mentioned. This article is not medical advice nor should be taken as official medical advice.