PTS – Disorder or Condition?

I am questioning the "D" in PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) -- is it really a "disorder?"  Sometimes I hear it referred to in a radio commercial simply as PTS, without the "D" attached, which is what got me thinking about this.

It seems to me the mind and body are doing what they should do as a defense mechanism by responding immediately to sounds, smells, or activities associated with something -- or someone – that a person views as a threat or is disturbing to witness.  Being nervous or anxious and other symptoms of PTS is in response to being protectively "on guard."

I wonder, then, if we are mis-using the word "disorder" for PTSD, which has a negative connotation.  For sure, it is going into an extreme mode.  But to me, it seems more like a "condition" needing to be tempered versus a "disorder" that needs to be reversed or stopped.

Copyright © March 2019 by  Maeke Ermarth

               Cheyenne, WY

Trouble Sleeping?

     A few years ago I took a course to be a Certified Nursing Assistant.  We were taught to place a pillow against the back of a patient lying on his/her side.  We folded the pillow lengthwise somewhat and tucked a little of it under the patient.  Not only does this provide extra caution against rolling and falling out of bed, but it also adds a sense of support, warmth, and security.
     The result is both physical and psychological.  Physical: Muscles relax more as a person feels and relies on the pillow's support.  A touch of warmth is added as the body heat from the back does not dissipate, which further soothes muscles along the back.  Psychological:  The pillow offers the sense of warmth, comfort and security experienced as a baby still in the womb.  The pillow is soft and contours to a person's shape and movements.  Nice.
     Next time you are having a restless night or want to start the night out with a feeling of comfort that allows the mind to drift and wander into sleep more readily, try the pillow trick; and see if it works for you, too.