Robert Shulman, MD: PTSD Must Be Addressed

The signs that someone should seek treatment are usually when there’s a degree of suffering, of discomfort and such. When, if there’s a depression syndrome associated with the condition, you know, it’s appropriate to seek treatment. PTSD can lead to depression, depression leads to other untoward events - loss of job, loss of family, loss of productivity, and perhaps even loss of life. So that if depression comes into the picture, one should seek treatment. PTSD also interferes with many other things. It interferes with one’s ability to work, often. If one is so on edge, one becomes anxious or irritable, it’s appropriate to seek treatment. In post-traumatic stress disorder, there’s often a sense of numbness of emotions and that can interfere with personal relationships. Such that, if somebody’s significant other says to him, “Honey, you’ve been different since this happened. I can’t reach you; I don’t know who you are. You’re not the same,” you know, it’s evidence of changes subsequent of the traumatic event and I think it’s appropriate to seek treatment there. So, treatment should be sought when there’s a change in one’s life, or there’s suffering, or there’s discomfort, or there are continued symptoms that don’t resolve. BrainLine is powered in part by Wounded Warrior Project to honor and empower post-9/11 injured service members, veterans, and their families.