Social Security Benefits for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD tends to develop after a terrifying ordeal that involved physical harm or the threat of physical harm. A person may develop PTSD after a traumatic physically or psychologically event or injury, the threat or physical harm of a loved one, or witnessed to physical harm or abuse being inflicted on loved ones or others. The brain’s coping mechanism is unable to deal with the event. The harm or unpleasant experience may be a traumatic event such as war, terrorist attacks, kidnapping, torture, murder, rape, child abuse, natural disaster, or a car, train, or plane crash. Some side effects of PTSD may include flashbacks, insomnia, nightmares, depression, and severe mood swings. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder can prevent the sufferer from adjusting to society or living a normal life. The symptoms can include severe and recurring psychological, emotional, and physical reactions to the traumatic experience.

Are you or a loved one suffering from PTSD and need information on the Social Security Benefits for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder? Contact the New Jersey Social Security Disability Attorneys at the law office of Kazmierczak & Kazmierczak today!

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is a psychologically crippling disorder that can incapacitate even the most hardened among us. It first came into the public conciseness because of returning veterans and their inability to reintegrate into mainstream society. PTSD can result from any traumatic event even natural disasters like hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, or earthquakes.

According to the NIMH, a person with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder can be:

Startled easily
Irritable and moody
Aggressive or even violent
Have trouble feeling affectionate
Disinterested in things they used to enjoy
Emotionally numb with people they used to be close to

People stricken with PTSD will typically avoid situations that may trigger memories of the original event including the anniversary of the incident or anything they might associate with the experience such as smells, colors, sounds, landmarks, foods, etc. The symptoms can be more intense if another person calculatingly initiated the incident as in a mugging, abduction, torture, or kidnapping. The traumatic episode becomes a focus of flashbacks, constantly reliving the affair in their thoughts and in nightmares. Anything in ordinary everyday life can trigger a flashback. The flashback can be so intense that the person can think they are actually reliving the ordeal.