Abstract
There is high degree of prevalence and variety of risk factors of postpartum Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, some postpartum women seem to struggle with their past traumatic life events and previous PTSD can result in them sinking deeper into a new PTSD, a postpartum PTSD. The person who has undergone detoxification has endured a very painful process and there is a strong association between drug addiction and mortality. The aim of this case report study is to raise the understanding of health professionals regarding the impact that these two factors might have on ex-drug addicted women. Data were collected from the Maternity unit of the University Hospital of Larisa in Greece. A mother on day 2 after elective cesarean section confirmed her participation and filled in a Life Events Checklist (LEC-5), Posttraumatic Checklist (PCL-5), Criteria A, and a socio-demographic questionnaire. After the sixth postpartum week, the woman answered via telephone, adapted for postpartum PCL-5. This case study describes vividly and painfully the impact of past drug addiction not only on her cesarean section but also how it affected her postpartum period. Eight past traumatic life events led to the creation of a chronic PTSD, i.e., trauma re-experiencing, avoidance, negative thoughts and feelings, agitation, and reactivity. Unfortunately, in cases of traumatic childbirth, especially cesarean section, when there are past traumatic experiences, such as addiction or sexual abuse, postpartum PTSD is an unbearable experience.
Highlights
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common reaction to traumatic events
Depending on the time of onset and duration of symptoms after exposure to a traumatic event, PTSD is categorized according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) into the following: acute PTSD and chronic PTSD [1]
Upon the consolidation of this behavior, the user feels more traumatized because of this process, which is a vicious circle, and uses more drugs to numb the pain From on, the user has become addicted [4].The majority of people addicted to drugs exhibit significant symptoms related to sexual abuse, assault or contact with death, which can cause chronic PTSD
Summary
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common reaction to traumatic events. PTSD becomes persistent when individuals process the trauma that leads to a sense of serious, current threat. Upon the consolidation of this behavior, the user feels more traumatized because of this process, which is a vicious circle, and uses more drugs to numb the pain From on, the user has become addicted [4].The majority of people addicted to drugs exhibit significant symptoms related to sexual abuse, assault or contact with death, which can cause chronic PTSD. Other research has indicated that childhood sexual abuse or other history of trauma, such as addiction to drugs, might be strong risk factors for high stress levels in the postpartum period. If these risk factors are identified early in pregnancy, they could be prevented by support from health care providers [11].
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