Post-traumatic stress disorder is a collection of debilitating symptoms caused by exposure to a highly traumatic event. Most recognized cases of PTSD are related to wartime experiences or other personal trauma, such as rape, a house fire or witnessing a fatal accident. Many years after BP\u2019s Deepwater Horizon<\/i> spilled 200 million barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico, residents are still suffering the effects \u2014 some of them from PTSD.<\/p>\n
In a recent report prepared by the Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality (CBHSQ)<\/a> and presented to the Department of Health and Human Services, a survey of Gulf residents indicates a significant decline in quality of life, which is often associated with PTSD. Loss of resources (such as the massive destruction of seafood, the Gulf\u2019s main source of income) is a strong indicator for severe depression and anxiety, two of PTSD\u2019s main components. The study suggests that the overall behavioral health of Gulf residents is poor, and it is predicted to decline further in the years to come.<\/p>\nIncrease in substance abuse disorders and domestic violence<\/h2>\n