Answer 1

   My first answer is that there is yet to be an effective treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. It's actually quite disappointing. Most of the treatments available are psychological approaches, yet researchers agree that it is a biological problem. The hormones released into the brain during intense levels of stress cause a chemical reaction so big that the brain has a sort of melt down. Epinephrine and norepinephrine (the chemicals released) are known to help people do extraordinary things, when the right amount is released. Over production of these chemicals also attacks the brain and induces confusion and memory loss.
  As far as the psychological approaches goes, most methods treat it like depression or anxiety. Even the medications used are also known to be effective for depression and anxiety, not the actual affliction itself. For example, if a person is having a hard time keeping up with day to day needs because of PTSD, the only options would be to put them in a cognitive-therapy class or put them on Paxil and Zoloft.
   My answer to this would be to fund scientific research on PTSD. There needs to be a medical approach to this problem.



Sources
Butler, Katy. "The Biology of Fear." Psychotherapy Networker July-Aug. 1996. Alt-PressWatch. Web. 14

Oct. 2011. <http://search.proquest.com/docview/233311531?accountid=10357>.

Lawlis, Frank. The Ptsd Breakthrough The Revolutionary, Science-based Compass Reset Program. Napville: Source, 2010. 7-19. Print.

Service Learning

For my service learning, Griselda and I have been preparing to present to the fifth grade class of Golden Springs Elementary on bullying and conflict resolution. Our contacts include Mrs. Ortega and Mario Ruiz (a fifth grade teacher at Golden Springs). So far I have accumulated a total of 19 hours and 50 minutes in preparation. This includes researching, making the powerpoint that we're using for the presentation, meetings, and rehearsals we've done for the presentation.

Third Interview Questions

1. How do you feel about the effectiveness of current PTSD treatments?
2. Would you be more likely to put someone on medication or in group-therapy? Why? Would the cause of PTSD or gender of the person change what treatment you would give them?
3.   When seeing a patient with multiple conditions (i.e. PTSD, alcoholism, and extreme anxiety) do you prioritize to address first?
4. Where do you see the developments in the research of PTSD going in the next ten years?
5.  Do you have preferences over Paxil or Zoloft? Why?
6.  How do you, personally, develop a treatment plan for a patient with PTSD?
7.  People diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder usually suffer from at least one other affliction. Are there any specific afflictions that you noticed are common in PTSD patients?
8.  When treating a person with PTSD with talk therapy, how often do you typically see them?
9. What treatments have the most side-effects?
10. When are PTSD patients easiest to treat? When are they most difficult?
11. What treatment do you usually get the best results from?