The Five Kinds of PTSD

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a physical brain injury that comes in several forms, which are outlined below. Extreme stress, like the stress of a car wreck, shrinks the hippocampus. This part of the brain controls logical responses to everyday situations. As a result, these victims cannot react rationally to everyday events. Instead, they experience symptoms like depression, flashbacks, anger, and hypervigilance.

Since PTSD is a physical brain injury, just like a Traumatic Brain Injury, a Carlsbad personal injury lawyer can obtain compensation in all these cases. Even “milder” forms of PTSD make it almost impossible to function, at least temporarily. So, compensation in these cases usually includes money for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering.

Normal Stress Response

Common stressful situations, like a fender-bender crash, deeply affect us. Usually, these effects linger. Without intervention, these effects get worse. Eventually, the stress shrinks the hippocampus and PTSD develops.

So, with proper intervention, NSR usually doesn’t develop into PTSD. NSR victims usually just need someone to talk to in an informal setting.

If NSR does develop into PTSD, perhaps because the victim is isolated and has no one to talk to, insurance company lawyers cannot later argue that the victim should have “nipped it in the bud.” A Carlsbad personal injury lawyer can usually obtain maximum compensation is usually available in these situations.

Acute Stress Disorder

Informal counseling usually isn’t enough to deal with ASD. If the stress is more severe, like being in a relatively serious car crash, the victim usually needs professional therapy and possibly medication.

PTSD therapists are specialized professionals who charge high fees. Additionally, PTSD therapy usually involves a trial-and-error process. Victims often try several different kinds of therapy before they find the one that works. This process substantially increases the amount of medical bills in a claim. Even if the therapy didn’t “work,” the therapist should be compensated for his/her efforts.

Uncomplicated PTSD

This form of PTSD is the most common injury-related kind of PTSD. Extreme stress shrinks the hippocampus almost overnight. So, these victims immediately need aggressive medical intervention. That usually means both therapy and medication. Even then, uncomplicated PTSD patients usually struggle with symptoms like irritability, mood changes, avoidance of trauma reminders, nightmares, flashbacks to the event, and changes in relationships.

Complicated PTSD

We’ll just touch on this form because it isn’t a very common injury-related condition. The cumulative effects of lesser stressful situations eventually cause PTSD, much like repetitive concussion eventually cause CTE.

Comorbid PTSD

Comorbid PTSD is a blanket term for co-occurring disorders. It usually applies if a person has more than one mental health concern along with substance abuse issues. Comorbid PTSD is extremely common. Self-medication with alcohol or drugs usually works in the short term. As a result, these victims rely on self-medication, a habit that quickly becomes destructive.

Connect With a Hard-Hitting San Diego County Lawyer

Injury victims are entitled to substantial compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer in Carlsbad, contact the Pursley Law Firm. Virtual, home, after hours, and hospital visits are available.

Source:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5951719/