KyleJones

5/19/16
4*Chemistry

PTSD(PostTraumaticStressDisorder)

Effects
PTSDisaconditionthataffectsthebrainanditisveryserious.Formanypeopleit
completelystopstheirlives,tothepointwheremostvictims

areafraidtogetclosetopeopleor
formnewrelationships.Changeterrifiesthem,andtheyremainforeverhesitanttoexpresstheir
needsorgiveventtotheircreativepotential.Thereisachemicalimbalanceinthebrainthat
holdsthemback.Thismainlyhappensinsoldierswhoexperiencetraumaticeventsduringwar.
PTSDaffectstheequilibriumthatisinthebrain.Equilibriumiswheneverythingiseven
andnothingisoutofbalance.Forexample,inmuscles,theyareatequilibriumwhenthereisno
stressonthem,butwhenyouworkoutitcausesachemicalimbalancethataffectsthemuscles,
whichmakesyousore.Equilibriumismostimportantinthebrainbecauseitcanchangeyour
personality,andaffectyoureverydaylife.
DifferentpartsofthebrainareaffectedforPTSDtooccur.Onlyasmallamountofthe
brainisaffectedandtheseveralregionsdifferstructurallyandfunctionallyfromthoseofhealthy
individuals.TypicalsymptomsofPTSDarecausedbytheamygdala,thehippocampus,and
theventromedialprefrontalcortex.Theseregions,collectively,impactthestressresponse
mechanisminthehumanbrain.
ThehippocampushasthegreatesteffectonPTSD.Thehippocampusisusedfor
memoryfunction.ThisdiffersbecausevictimswhosufferfromPTSDhaveadifficulttime
makingnewmemoriesorrememberingoldones.Thisismainlybecausetheyareattemptingto
turnthatpartoftheirbrainoffsotheydontrememberthetraumatheyhaveexperiencedearlier
inlife.PTSDpatientswithreducedhippocampalvolumeslosetheabilitytodiscriminate
betweenpastandpresentexperiencesorinterpretenvironmentalcontextscorrectly
.
Thisis
thesymptomthatmostpeoplecommonlythinkofwhentheyhearofsomeonehavingPTSD.
Thereducedhippocampalvolumesmakesthevictimfeelliketheyarebackinthetraumathat
happenedtothem.Forexample,awarveteranstillcannotwatchviolentmoviesbecausethey
remindhimofhistrenchdayshishippocampuscannotminimizetheinterferenceofpast
memories
.
Theventromedialprefrontalcortexistheregionofthebrainthatregulatesemotional
responses.Tobemoreaccurateitregulatesemotionslikefear.PTSDpatientsshowa
markeddecreaseinthevolumeofventromedialprefrontalcortexandthefunctionalabilityofthis
region.ThisisthereasonwhymanyvictimsofPTSDexhibitfearoranxietywhenfacedwith
somethingnotconnectedorremotelyconnectedtotheirtrauma.
TheamygdalaworksinhyperdrivewhensomeonehasPTSD.Theamygdalahelpsus
processemotionsandisalsolinkedtofearresponses.Itreallyworksinhyperdrivewhen
someoneispresentedwithimagesordescriptionsofsomethingthatpertainstotheirspecific

traumatheyexperienced.Thissometimeshappensevenwhentheyareshownimagesof
peopleexhibitingfear.
ThissourceisimportantandcrediblebecauseitisinformingpeopleaboutPTSDandnot
tryingtoconvincethemofsomething.KnowingtheeffectsofPTSDisveryimportantbecauseit
couldleadtoawaytohelpreducetheseverity. 1

Chemistry
TherearemanydifferentcomponentsthatareinvolvedinPTSD.Theyinclude:the
Hippocampus,theAmygdala,Noradrenaline(norepinephrine),Dopamine,hydrochloride:
C
H
NO
HCl),Serotonin(C
H
N
O),Opioidsystems,Insulin(C
H
N
O
S
),Cortisol
8
11
2
10
12
2
257
383
65
77
6
(C
H
O
),HPAorhypothalamicpituitaryadrenal,Traumaticexperienceorevent,Memory,
21
30
5
Gammaaminobutyricacid(GABA),andNeurotransmitters.TheCortisolandNoradrenalineare
thetwomostimportantchemicalsinthereaction.Theyarewhatcausestress.Noradrenaline
causesalargeamountofdopaminetobereleased,andthiscausessomeonebeparanoid.
Cortisol,thehormoneofstressthatisproducedintheadrenalgland.Thishormoneraises
bloodpressureandalsoproduceshighsugarlevelsorinsulin.Withmoreinsulin,theblood
sugarlevelcandecreasewhichinturncanmakethehypothalamus,anotherregioninthebrain
thatisresponsibleforthehormoneproduction,sendsoutafalsesignalofglucosebeingkept
awayfromthebrain.Thisfalsesignalisthensenttotheadrenalglandthatsaystoincrease
adrenalinewhichthenmakesthehighstresssymptomsofPTSD.Thereisnochemical
equationforPTSD,becauseeveryonehasadifferentseverity.
ThesourceIusedtofindallofthechemistryisacrediblesource.Again,itisnottrying
topersuadethereaderinanyway.Alltheauthorisdoingisinformingthereaderaboutwhat
happenschemicallyinthebrain,andwhereithappens.2

FirstHandAccount
ManypeoplesufferfromPTSD,butthemostcommonpeoplearefromwars.Hereis
onemansstory.Youdonthavetoreadthewholething,butIfeelthisisagoodrepresentation
ofhowconfusingandscaryPTSDcanbe,evenfortheindividual.Italsoshowsthatstepscan
betakentohelpthoseinneed.

IamaveteranofseveraltripstoIraq.

IhavebeendiagnosedwithfairlyseverePTSD(Icanstillfunctionandwork(somedaysIhave
togoandsitinmycarbecauseIjustfeeloutofcontrolofmyownemotions(Godblessmyboss
whoknowsaboutmysituationbutemploysmeandcoversforme),butthereareusuallyseveral
daysamonthwheremywifehastomakesuresheandmytoddlersonbasicallyneedtostay
1

"HowDoesPostTraumaticStressDisorderChangetheBrain?|Brain..."2015.25May.2016
<
http://brainblogger.com/2015/01/24/howdoesposttraumaticstressdisorderchangethebrain/
>
2
"TheChemistryofPostTraumaticStressDisorder(PTSD)www..."2014.25May.2016
<
http://www.chemistryislife.com/thechemistryofposttraumaticstressdisorder
>

awayfrommebecauseIcangetprettyemotionallyunstableforreasonsIstillcan'texplain
becauseIhaveyettoreallyputabetterfingeronmytriggers).Afterleavingthemilitary,Ispent
almostadecadefucking,fighting,andhavingrandomemotionallyerraticepisodesandjust
chalkingituptodrinking(Ibecameadrunk)andpartying(myfamilyandfriendsnoticeda
markeddifferenceinme,butweretooworriedtomentionittome(temperissues)).

Itwasn'tuntilIleftmypsycho,alcoholicexgf(nothingworsethanlivinginacodependent
bubblethatyoudon'tevenknowyou'rein),thatIfoundsomeone(mywife)andIlearnednormal
humanfuckingbehaviorandhowloveshouldactuallywork.Icutbackonmypartyingand
stoppedfighting(stillworkingonthedrinking),butwhenmywifegotpregnantIstartedtohave
REALLYLOWlows(didsomethingsIamnotproudofoverthere.Youreallycan'texplainwhat
itisliketodocertainthingsunlessyouraudiencehassomeexperiencewithit,anditisalso
kindofheartbreaking(Itooknojoyinit)totryandexplainthosethingstoanaudiencethat
likelyhasnosympathyforitandnorshouldthey),andcalledtheVeteran'sCrisisLinewhenI
feltIwasn'tworthadamnasaparent/humananddidn'tdeserveahealthywife,childandfamily
(Ican'temphasizehowgreatthisnumberisifyoureallyneedhelporjustsomeonetotalkto:
1800273825524/7)becauseIwasjustcompletelylost.

ThefollowingMondayIwascontactedbythenearestVetCenter(Theyofferhelpand/or
counselingformentalissuesoraidwithdisabilityclaims)andwasimmediatelyofferedweekly
visitswithasocialworker(wonderfullady).Thatsocialworkereventuallygotmeintoweekly
(psychologist)andquarterly(psychiatrist,buttheyareverybusytryingtoregulatepeople's
meds)visitswiththeVA.

EversinceIstartedseeingthesepeopleIhavegottenbetter.Itwasslowatfirst(severalmonths
beforeresults)becauseittooksometimeformetobuildtrusttobeabletosharemy
experiencesinavulnerableandtruthfulmanner(forthosethathaven'tbeenintherapy,itcanbe
arealbitchtoREALLYopenyourselfuptoastrangerandhopetheydon'ttearyouapartand
judgeyou,whichcounselorsdamnnearneverdo,butthefearisthereallthesame).Butaftera
lotoftime,talking,anddrugs(Iamcurrentlyondepression,sleep,andmoodmedsandI
haven'tfeltthisnormalsinceIleftthemilitary,whichbringsmetomynextpoint).

IalsoattendgroupmeetingsthatdealwithPTSDandotherassortedissues(theyhave
separategroupsmostly,butsometimestheyhavetocombinethenduetolackofbudget),and
youcan'tbegintounderstandwhatpeoplehavegonethroughinthemilitary(noncombat
related)unlessyousitinthoseroomsandhearfirsthandsomeofthemostgutwrenching,
soulsickeningstoriesyoucouldimagine,andthatleadstoalotofthis:

Manyveteransareover/undermedicatedduetothehugeoverflowofvetsthankstotherecent
warsandthevetsstilllivingafterthepreviousones,combinedwithunderfundingfromthe
government.LikeImentionedabove,Igettoseemypsychiatrist(drugs)atmostonceevery3
monthsfor3060minutes.ItisjustenoughforhimtofigureouthowIamdealingwithmymeds
andwhethertotweakthemornot.Itwouldbeeasytohaveanegativeopinionafterreadingthat

previousstatement,buttheyaresooverwhelmedbypatientsthattheyarebasicallyplugging
theHooverDamwiththeirheadanddrowning.Thereareliterallyschizophrenicvetswandering
thewaitingroomonaslightlyregularbasis.

Icommendeverylastemployee/volunteerI'veeverrunintoinmyyear+ofdealingwiththe
VA/VetCenter.

IfiledfordisabilityaboutayearagoandamjustnowgettingreadytogoinformyPTSD
disabilityinterview(itisavisitseparatefrommyotherVAvisitspertainingtolegitimatemental
healthsessions(thoughtheguyIgettomeetforonetimedoeshaveaccesstotheirnotes).
Trustme,theVAmakesnofuckingsense),andIamtoldIamlookingatatleasta56month
waitingperiodtohearbackonmyfinalfindings,soaboutan18monthperiod(muchshorter
thanwhateverbullshittimelinetheyputoutthereinthemedia.ItissoridiculousthatIdon'teven
rememberwhattheysaidatthispoint).

ThemostirritatingpartisthatIamblessedinthatIdon'tneedthemoneyfromdisability(I
actuallyplanondonatingmuchofittoVeteran'scharities.PeopleItellthistocallmesilly,but
fuckthembecauseIamfortunateenoughtomakeenoughincometobeabletodoso),butIdo
needtogetsomekindofdisabilityratingpercentagetohavemaximumaccesstoVAprograms
withouthavingtodisclosemymentalhealthissuestomyemployerviamyownhealthinsurance
becauseifyoudon'thavecertaindisabilityratingstheyactasiftheyareanactualhealthcare
providerandgothroughyourinsurance.

Bottomline:VAworkers:Good.VAoutsideoftheindividualsworkingforit:Bad.3

"PTSDandMe:TrueStoriesFromMilitaryVeteransGawker."2013.25May.2016
<
http://gawker.com/ptsdandmetruestoriesfrommilitaryveterans1167107848
>

Image

ThispicturegivesavisualrepresentationofwhatabrainwithPTSDlookslike.Thisisuseful
becausepeopleareabletoseewherethebrainisreactingwithaPTSDpatient.

Ifoundthisvisualhere:
http://news.wisc.edu/story_images/11261/large/PTSD_brain.jpg?1447098415

MediaPlatform
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/post.traumatic_stress/?hl=en