1. PTSD Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder The Silent Killer
Presented by Jack Stone
CCCF Correctional Corporal

2. Prevalence of PTSD
The most recent National  Studies asserted that the prevalence of PTSD in the general population was 3.5 %.
Which is nearly 10 times less prevalent than in Prison Correctional Officers.
14.3% of New York firefighters were found to suffer from PTSD.
A prevalence rate nearly ½ that of Prison Correctional Officers.
A National Institutes of Health study from 2009 put the prevalence rate of PTSD in Iraq war veterans 20% below that of Prison Correctional Officers.

3. Why is PTSD Hidden? In most cases the reason is Shame or Fear.
PTSD for many years was viewed as a weakness. 
So many staff choose to hide what they feel, and this adds to confusion, depression and isolation.

4. The Cause of PTSD... A Traumatic Event
After a Traumatic Event:
You may feel afraid or feel that you have no control over what is happening around you.
Most people have some stress-related reactions after a traumatic Event.

5. The Development of PTSD
Most people who go through  trauma have some symptoms at the beginning.
Only some will develop PTSD over time.
It isn't clear why some people develop PTSD and others don't.

6. PTSD Deciding Factors How intense the trauma was or how long it lasted
If you were injured or lost someone important to you
How close you were to the event
How strong your reaction was
How much you felt in control of events
How much help and support you got after the event.

7. PTSD Symptoms Intrusive memories
Recurrent, unwanted distressing memories of the traumatic event
Reliving the traumatic event as if it were happening again (flashbacks)
Upsetting dreams about the traumatic event
Severe emotional distress or physical reactions to something that reminds you of the event
Avoidance
Trying to avoid thinking or talking about the traumatic event
Avoiding places, activities or people that remind you of the traumatic event

8. PTSD Symptoms Negative changes in thinking and mood
Negative feelings about yourself or other people
Inability to experience positive emotions
Feeling emotionally numb
Lack of interest in activities you once enjoyed
Hopelessness about the future
Memory problems, including not remembering important aspects of the traumatic event
Difficulty maintaining close relationships
Changes in emotional reactions
Irritability, angry outbursts or aggressive behavior
Always being on guard for danger
Overwhelming guilt or shame
Self-destructive behavior, such as drinking too much or driving too fast
Trouble concentrating
Trouble sleeping
Being easily startled or frightened
Feeling keyed up (also called hyper arousal)

9. Other Problems Associated with PTSD:
Feelings of hopelessness, shame, or despair
Depression or anxiety
Drinking or drug problems
Physical symptoms or chronic pain
Employment problems
Relationship problems, including divorce.
Eating disorders
Suicidal thoughts and actions

10. What Treatments are available?
When you have PTSD, dealing with the past can be hard. Instead of telling others how you feel, you may keep your feelings bottled up. But treatment can help you get better.
There are 2 main types of treatment:
Psychotherapy (sometimes called counseling)
Medication
Sometimes people combine psychotherapy and medication.

11. Psychotherapy Types Cognitive therapy Exposure therapy
Helps an individual recognize the ways of thinking: cognitive patterns that are keeping them stuck
For example, negative or inaccurate ways of perceiving normal situations.
For PTSD, cognitive therapy often is used along with exposure therapy.
Exposure therapy
Behavioral therapy that helps an individual safely face what you find frightening so that you can learn to cope with it effectively.
One approach to exposure therapy uses "virtual reality" programs that allow you to re-enter the setting in which you experienced trauma.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
This is a combination of exposure therapy with a series of guided eye movements that help you process traumatic memories and change how you react to traumatic memories.

12. Medications Help but not a Cure
Antidepressants
Medications to help alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety. They can also help improve sleep problems and concentration.
Zoloft and Paxil are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for PTSD treatment.
Anti-anxiety medications
Even though these medications can improve feelings of anxiety and stress for a short time to relieve severe anxiety and related problems, they have the potential for abuse and are not usually taken long term.
Prazosin
This medication, although not specifically FDA-approved for PTSD treatment aids in the alleviation of insomnia or recurrent nightmares.
It is known to reduce or suppress nightmares in many people with PTSD.

13. Acknowledgments Slide 1:
“SilenceKelm041511crop_0.jpg.” Texasenterprise.utexas.edu. Texas Enterprise. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2015
Slide 3:
“boss-hiding-facebook.jpg.” rack.0.mshcdn.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2015
Slide 7-8:
Mayo Clinic Staff. "Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Symptoms." Mayoclinic.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr
Slide 9:
Mayo Clinic Staff. "Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) complications." Mayoclinic.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr
Slide 11-12
Mayo Clinic Staff. "Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Treatment." Mayoclinic.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2015