Reflection-What I've Learned through this Project

In completion of my senior research project, I have learned a lot about PTSD. Actually, more than I thought I would and I was able to do the research independently. Throughout the process I found out what I would like to learn concerning PTSD.

I really wanted to know common stuff, as far as how many people that was affected, what are the risk factors and how can people cope with PTSD? (Just to name a few.) I learned the difference between credible and non-credible sources.

I understood how to distinguish the two and for future references, I can trust credible sources versus non-credible sources. That part was the most difficult part for me but I’m glad I learned, especially being on my way to college. For my fourth and fifth blog, I had five options to choose from. I chose to do the history of PTSD, the significance and background of the disorder.

I also chose to do my choice and that was to pick a significant and interesting thing about the disorder. As far as the history of PTSD, I learned that the disorder wasn’t always titled PTSD; it was until 1980 where the official name was given. They had various names before then, such as “shell shock,” "battle fatigue,” and “gross stress reaction” and other given names. These names were referred to people in World War I, the American Civil War, Vietnam, and World War II.

When choosing a significant and interesting thing about post traumatic stress disorder, I touched basis on the tragic event called 9/11, which occurred on September 11, 2001. That tragedy cause people in New York City and some across the nation to develop a disturbing psychological symptoms (post traumatic stress disorder) and impaired functioning. I really enjoyed the blogging opportunity and the six-step process. It gave the seniors the opportunity to show what we know, as far as our concerns in the world or what we want to do when we become successful adults.

A Significant and Interesting Thing about your Subject Area

September 11, 2001 is a day that people will remember, hundreds of people deal with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) because of a tragic day such as 9/11. This tragic event has caused a great deal of grief, sadness, and confusion, not just in New York City but all across the nation.

With dealing with PTSD in triggers when individuals pass by where the towers use to stand, it’s a very overwhelming feeling.

People being rushed out in crowds, wondering how their children are doing, where their husband or wife is. This tragic event has caused a great deal of grief, sadness, and confusion, not just in New York City but all across the nation.

People directly affected by 9/11 have or will possibly have a greater risk of having post traumatic stress disorder than someone indirectly affected. Many questions regarding PTSD and 9/11 include what is the transient (temporary) posttraumatic stress to experience? At what point in the duration of symptoms would you seek treatment? Are there ways to prevent the development of the pathological PTSD illness?


Referring to Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of post traumatic stress disorder is a psychological reaction that occurs after experiencing a highly stressing event, outside the range of normal human experience. It is usually characterized by depression, flashbacks, anxiety recurrent nightmares, and avoidance of reminders of the event.


When I become a psychologist, I would want to help people that have dealt with an event like 9/11. Imagine seeing people jump out of windows and trapped in a falling building, at that time thinking there is no escape.



Personally, I have a passion for people that have been through and have seen the invisible. I want to help soothe the pain and worries; I want to let them know that they can continue with life. That’s why PTSD and 9/11 is important to me.

History of PTSD

While PTSD has likely been around for centuries, only as recently as 1980 has the American Psychiatric Association (APA) officially added PTSD to its Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM.)

For example, the American Civil War were referred to as suffering from “soldiers heart,” and for World War I, the symptoms were referred to as suffering were referred to as suffering from “combat fatigue.” For World War II it was said to be suffering from “gross stress reaction.” For many who fought in Vietnam, it was “post-Vietnam syndrome,” before it was give the name PTSD.

PTSD has also been called “Shell shock and battle fatigue.” Combat veterans and rape victims ranging from 10% to as high as 30%. Higher rates of this disorder have been said to be within African Americans, Native Americans and Hispanics compared to Caucasians in the United States.

Some of that difference is said to be due to higher, rates of dissociation soon before and after the traumatic event. There is a tendency for individuals from minority ethnic groups to blame themselves, an increased perception of racism for those groups and may express distress. As evidence by the presence of stress in many individuals in the United States in the days following the 2001 terrorist attacks, not being physically present at a traumatic incident, resulting in the progress of PTSD in up to 15% of girls and 6% of boys.

On average 3%-6% of high school students in the United States and as many as 30% to 60% of children who have survived particular disasters have PTSD.

Traumatic events that trigger PTSD includes military combat, rape, accidents, mugging, violent personal assaults and natural or human disasters. This emotional disorder can develop in other people, who have also experienced extremely stressful events that are outside the range of what is considered to be a normal human experience.

Credible Versus Non-Credible Sources

#1 non-credible source:



1. A ".com" web domain means that anyone could have purchased the above site.
2. There is not an author stated.
3. The website isn’t focused mainly on PTSD.


#1 credible source:


1. This web domain contains very few advertisements.
2. The authors are clearly stated because actual doctors have written inside of this medicine journal.
3. There is a description and heading that states that the website is focused on PTSD.

Personal Reflection on PTSD

I had a dream one day and I knew then I wanted to be a psychologist. I remember a group of people being in a large room and we all were socializing but I knew the meaning of the dream. Reason being, I asked guidance on what I would study in college. Sure enough a couple of nights later, I had a dream and it was all confirmed.

In reality I do enjoy helping people and I lend my ear to any one someone comes to me and wants to talk, young or old. It amazed me at one while how people would just talk to me and open up about what’s going on in their life. It really got to me when adults would talk to me and I would feel comfortable and they would as well. I want to do something that I’m going to enjoy and counseling is just right for me. I wouldn’t want people to hold things within like I did, if I could help and they would like help or just someone to lean on, I would do so.

I feel that if you carry so much baggage (past hurts, hurtful relationships, etc.) it turns into a chronic illness and after a while the body gives out! The hurt in people past doesn’t help their future at all. It really demolishes the inside of a person and it’s not healthy. I also chose PTSD for a subject because I always wanted to know how survivors of 9/11 feel or how they feel after a tragedy such as 9/11. The events on 9/11 left many beyond startled!!

I’ve heard how 9/11 has left many people traumatized and left without a decent frame of mind. People were scared to come out of their homes at one time. I would like to deal with the kind of people that need and wants to talk. I want them to overcome what seems like a mountain, that’s what too hard to climb. In other words, I want to be the one that will reassure them.

What I Know and What I Would Like to Learn About PTSD

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an emotional illness that develops as a result of a very frightening life threatening, or unsure experience. It comes from traumatic events, I also know that the recognition of this condition increased dramatically from the events such as the 9/11 tragedy, Hurricane Katrina, the London bombings, the Tsunami and going back some years the war in Vietnam. A lot of times many come back to the United States that developed disturbing impaired functioning and psychological symptoms.

These events and many others have left thousands of people all around the U.S. at risk for this potentially debilitating condition. I am also aware of the PTSD symptoms and they include memory disturbances, nightmares, and family discord, sleep disturbances, parenting or marital disturbances, flashbacks about the traumatic event and feelings of estrangement or detachment. PTSD symptoms can possibly develop weeks, months or even years following a traumatic event.

In addition, to the survivors of wars, natural disasters, and acts of terrorism, people who have been victims of torture, or violent crimes often develop symptoms of PTSD. Sufferers of PTSD tend to avoid people, places, or other things that remind the individual of the event and are really sensitive to normal life experiences. Usually once something bad happens, no one wants to return or have to go through it again. So that’s what happens once someone is diagnosed with PTSD, they don’t want to suffer anymore.

I also know that PTSD has only been recognized as a formal diagnosis since 1980. I would like to know what other traumatic events cause PTSD, in the past and the present? PTSD with people dealing with 9/11 is my main focus. I would like to know how many children/teachers, men and women that it affected at that time? I would want to know how many people are still bothered with it to this day?