can a person be affected by ptsd in their day to day lives

hi my father has PTSD and its a chronic case he has all the sypmtoms and things like that... but what my question is, is:

can a person suffering with PTSD be affected in their day to days lives so much that they have lost interest in doing normal things such as taking care of themselves and keeping their house clean and holding a steady job things like that... would it affect them so much that they wouldn't do this or become obessive compulsive of it?

[AnnaE]

Yes, the depression part of PTSD could be a factor in what you describe. So can obsession/compulsion be an effect of trauma.

Has your dad ever been in therapy for these problems? Yiu might urge him to seek counseling. You might also do a google on PTSD, so that you can be more informed. Let us know if you have more questions.

[Steven Y Park, MD]

How well does your father sleep? Does he snore? Is he tired despite sleeping 8-9 hours? Is he overweight? You should first get professional help for his PTSD, but if he has any degree of a sleep-breathing problem, get it diagnosed and treated. There are many reported cases of PTSD resolving after treating underlying obstructive sleep apnea. Multiple obstructions and arousals causes a stress response that severely heightens your nervous system, making it hypersensitive and en garde. Sleep apnea can aggravate or cause depression, anxiety, high sugar levels, weight gain, urinary frequency, heart disease, heart attack and stroke.

[AnnaE]

Are you saying that trauma survivors would not have PTSD if they slept right/breathed right?

[Steven Y Park, MD]

No. In no way am I minimizing all the research and facts surrounding this condition. What  I'm suggesting, however, is that a small subset of people with PTSD may have an underlying sleep-breathing problem that could be aggravating it (not causing it). There have been numerous reports of PTSD improving significantly after treatment of sleep apnea. The same can be said for anxiety disorders or depression. Conventional teaching states that anxiety or depression can lead to poor sleep, but the reverse applies as well—poor breathing while sleeping can aggravate any already underlying condition.

[stevensmom14]

Absolutely.....I had a serious Medical problem that went on for years and eventually almost killed me. When you go through something that causes such fear and stress,,,,what happens to people who have PTSD is that the re-live the whole thing all over again any time they think about it or something happens that reminds them of their incidient. It is VERY DEPRESSING and hard to function when you can't "regroup" and move on with life.....it took me over 10 years and I'm a tough person......my mom was the only one in my life that stood by me through it all....as hard as it is to understand "why" a person can' regroup...do the best you can to help him...have you tried to talk to him about this or get him in couseling?? WHat happened to him that makes you think he has PTSD?? Maybe I can give you more insight. I'll put your dad in my prayers.

[AnnaE]

I was tested by an MD about seven years ago. I was not that impressed with his facility. I tested borderline, and since I had been on steroids for adult onset Asthma, I ask him if it wasn't a good idea to lose some of the weight, and then reevaluate it. I noticed all the overweight people in his office. He agreed.

Overall, I felt that my allergist had sent me there in an act of business promotion. I already travek with a nebulizer. I did not want more equipment to travel with.

The test is miserable. Can it be done in one's own home? I am willing to be open minded, but I do not want to spend the night in a miserable facility, nor do I want to be used by MDs, to promote business.

I believe that both doctors should have evaluated by prednisone usage and advised me to lose weight, then test. I lost over 50 pounds that I had gained on the prednisone. I had been on it for 2 years.

However, I want to do the best I can for my health.

[AnnaE]

Thanks for your  validation that
recovery takes time. support, and expert care. I never had support from family. My family were the perpetrators. I married to get away from them, but my ex turned out tobe a sociopath and it took me 17 years to get away from him. IT has been a long process, especially since my daughter and I have had very scary eye problems presenting us with enormous challenges.

[peace326]

My son was murdered in Jan, 2005 and I've since been treated and diagnosed with PTSD - however, I was previously being treated for depression.

When I was tested last year the psychologist stated that I had severe depression, with PTSD & severe anxiety and panic disease with possible OCD and maybe some personality disorder.

Is it possible given the fact that these tests are really just yes and no questions and they leave no room for variation of answers - and even if a particular answer isn't on the test you still have to pick one - that some of these conclusions can be wrong?  (I know the one about the severe depression and PTSD probably is correct - but if I look at the test it looks like everything is wrong with me and nothing is right with me - and it seems so overwhelming it's like can I ever get well - I was placed on Lamictal, Cymbalta and Klonopin - however my doctor upped the lamictal to 400 mgs and the cymbalta to 60 mgs and I had a very severe reaction to it (this was after having been rushed to the hospital in the intensive cardiac care unit because the doctor prescribed lithium when I was on a diuretic for high blood pressure).  To make a long story short after calling the doctor and telling about the severe rash and itching and breakout - instead of being treated for that I was hospitalized for depression).  

So you can see I don't trust doctors too much - lately with a new doctor I've been put on wellbutrin, prozac and klonopin but I'm also on Chantrix because now they say I must stop smoking bec. of they say I have the beginnings of COPD - however I'm beginning to wonder about all these so-called diseases.

Any help

[Pointman]

No medician thery will cure any person with chronic PTSD from combat, ask any combat vet. I do think the sllep study for some peopel is agod thing, but because of PTSD. loose teh weight and yuo probley will be fine  far as sleep apathy goes, but  iam not aDR, just what i ahve heard.and alot of vets here Junk like thsi DR. just gave out all time, i want to know how many Combat vets haave got over there PTSD after a sleep study, and geting more sleep, waht about teh day tiem when w eahve to deal with it

[AnnaE]

I can see your points of view very well. I am sorry that you and the others have this burden.

Best,

Anna

[AnnaE]

Dr. Park specializes in sleep disorders. Perhaps you could write to the Mental Health Forum. An MD is there. Also, the people on the anxiety and depression forums talk about drugs a lot. Weigh what you hear, of course.

Best,

Anna

[williamkancir]

The answer to your question is, YES. I have been diagnosed with PTSD, PTD, and severe concussion. There has been many emotionally traumatic experiences in my life. My fiancee and best friend were killed in car accidents, my father shot himself; I am a survivor. Last summer a had a terrifying accident that left me both physically and mental injured. PTSD is real and it hurts not to be understood. If you can and he is willing, find both mental and physical therapy. Ensure your love to him frequenting. The key to recovery is support and understanding, and that is exactly what most of us don't have. Just go and hug him and tell him you love him. Build a healthy and strong relationship with him, gain his confidence, if you don't have it already. Just to be posting tells me you care, don't give up on him.  The process of time for recovery is undefined but, find the help of support groups as you are obviously doing. May God help you in your plight, keeping you & yours in my prayers. Hope this helped.

Caring, Daniel

[AnnaE]

Thank you for your sensitive plea for support for PTSD sufferer, Of course, to be supported and to have others try to understand, is so important, and you have written about it eloquently.

[Midnight101]

PTSD will affect every  minute of the day in your life. I am going through hell with it.
My best advice is to seek out professional help. I did and its the best thing that has happened to me.
Good luck

[lmaher87]

thank you so much for your information it has been very helpful. to the doctor yes he has a sleep problem and has been treated for it with no luck he sleeps uncomfortably and snores but he also repeats dreams and wakes up screaming and yelling from when he was in combat in germany over 25 years ago. he experiances several horrible things like car accidents friends commiting suicide and even losing his children (not by them dying obviously but equally tramatic as we were taken and were not allowed contact with him for 6 months then we lost contact for 5 years which really brought on the depression which led him to find out about his PTSD) he's been treated for everything he has been put on a diet cuz of diabetes and what not and sleeping pills (which don't work at all he actually is more awake taking them. doesn't matter what kind they are) and he is on anti anxiety and depression pills everything he takes like 20 pills a day for god sakes and he still suffers with out bursts of moodiness thoughts of deep depression thinking his family doesn't love him and that he was a terrible father etc. etc.

anyways thank you to everyone who posted you've been a wonderful help. if there is anything else you think i should know about PTSD what people experiance and things that they think would help me in understanding my dad please feel free to post

[margypops]

we will and thank you for posting again it has been a few months, , I hope your father is doing okay

[margypops]

i meant it has been a while since you posted here, it is good that we are having follow up from previous posts.

[Steven Y Park, MD]

Imaher87,

You said your father was treated for a sleep problem unsuccessfully. What was the diagnosis and what was the treatment? If he snores, has depression, anxiety, and diabetes, at his age, there's a very good chance that he has untreated obstructive sleep apnea. This can lead to everything stated above. As I've stated before there are many reports of severe combat veteran PTSD resolve completely after treating sleep apnea decades later. Even if  sleep apnea treatment doesn't help his PTSD, there are many other reasons to make sure he does or doesn't have sleep apnea. It also increases your chances of heart disease, heart attack and stroke.

[margypops]

I have had loss of sleep since my Trauma and many other Physical symptoms I did not have before a few days after the incident I broke out in Hives, and head aches and dizziness , aches and pains , so it isnt always anxiety and depression, there are Physical symptoms also. I have found help from taking Adrenal support capsules ,they have considerably improved my mood and also the hives are easing up, What has been your experience of this I never hear much about it, would love to know if survivors have the same.

[teko]

I have successfully over come the depression, thank god!  But I get panic attacks which I am on medication for. Weird! They came out of no where and for no reason! I would head out to the store, get halfway there, freeze, turn around and come home! I also had bouts with severe irritable bowel for a few years which is now under control.  I am fine now, unless the unexpected happens without warning. I am not much on the labels that define each mental disorder but I sure do know how I feel! Margy, I gonna get some of them capsules. lol

[margypops]

Would you say that I would feel better if I took sleeping meds, I have tried the OTC ones but they do not work,I am lucky if I get a couple of hours a night , I do agree with you regarding your post about sleep apnea having an effect,I dont want to go to nay sleep clinic ,could you advise any sleeping pill I can get from the Doctor.

[lmaher87]

i wouldn't know  what he's been treated for for sure. all i know is that he has had several different perscriptions for sleeping pills and different doctors have examined him and things and he says nothing has changed.. i donno maybe he's being stubborn ( runs in the family) but i know that he's been treated and nothing has been working for him so far.

[margypops]

What happened did evryone fall off their perch? no more PTSD sufferers , wher are you all,??

[JKJ]

I've had PTSD for over 15 years.  I'm just shocked each time I read this Doc on here even suggesting that it can be "cured" by merely a dx of sleep apnea!!

I have to ask this Doc for his credentials.  This is very upsetting to me that he believes that PTSD is really cured that easily.  No, it's not.  Believe me, I wish it were.

[fary]

seems u were disappointed by da low turnout.hehe.

[fary]

we sitting dis far can only pray and hope dat u get better.its only u who is to help himself

[Steven Y Park, MD]

Sleeping pills are not the answer if he has a sleep-breathing problem. He should see a sleep specialist and undergo a sleep study, in addition to everything else he needs to do for his PTSD.

[margypops]

Stop laughing yes I did wonder where theyd all gone, one minute its heaving with all us PTSD sufferers and next no one...anyway I have heard of this before and Dr Parks does know what he is saying, it has been shown that sufferers of PTSD also have sleep apnea and they have found a connection, it would be better Doctor Parks if you explained fully for us to see exactly what you mean...

[lmaher87]

if you actaully had read what i had said you would have established that... HE's BEEN TREATED FOR THIS and they couldn't find anything so they just gave him sleeping pills figureing that he just couldn't sleep.

[Steven Y Park, MD]

Sorry for my misunderstanding. I didn't see a reference to a sleep study. I apologize if I've said something to upset you in any way. It sounds like they've already considered sleep apnea.

Before I sign off, I wanted to make it clear for everyone that I'm NOT saying that sleep apnea causes PTSD. However, if you already have PTSD and you develop sleep apnea later on, then the sleep-breathing problem can potentially worsen the PTSD. This is because any degree of sleep breathing problems can elevate your anxiety levels. As I've mentioned before, there have been case reports of people with PTSD that improved significantly after OSA was diagnosed and treated properly years later. I've even had some of my own patients tell me incidentally that their PTSD was better after starting OSA treatment.

This issue is probably not a factor at all for the most people with PTSD, but if you have PTSD and you snore and have any of the complications of untreated sleep apnea, it's probably a good idea to at least think about it.