Aggression in posttraumatic stress disorder

Objective: High levels of anger and aggression in post-traumatic stress disorder lead to unfavorable social, legal, physical and economic results to family members and the other social layers as much as patients. In this study, it is aimed to investigate the relation between both alcohol-cigarette consumption ratios and anger levels, characteristics of aggressive behaviors and the judicial outcome in cases diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder due to armed conşict.

Methods: 38 cases diagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder were included to the study. Pre- and post-traumatic alcohol/cigarette consumption amounts and aggressive behaviors are determined. Impact of Events Scale (Revised) (IES-R) was used for evaluating post-traumatic stress disorder symptom patterns and severity, Buss Perry Aggression Questionnaire was used for measuring anger and aggression levels, and Taylor’s Violence Rating Scale was used for evaluating the judicial outcome of aggression.

Results: 23 of cases (60.6%) were married with children, 13 of cases (34.25) were single and 2 of cases (5.2%) were divorced. 18 of cases (47.4%) were graduate. IES-R total score was 66.9±12,7, Buss Perry total score was 111.3±20.5, and Taylor’s Violence Rate was 2.5±1.0. When the pre- and post-traumatic aggressive behaviors were compared; physical violence to the partner was increased more than ten times, Physical and verbal violence to social individuals were increased more than four and seven times, respectively. And also it is observed that inşicting damage to property was increased 17 times, reckless driving was increased 11 times, and self-mutilation was increased 5 times. Alcohol consumption was determined as 0 (0 - 126) g/day for pre-trauma cases and 16.5 (0 - 294) g/day for post-trauma cases. Cigarette smoking was determined as 5 (0 - 40) cigarette/day for pre-trauma cases and 30 (0 -60) cigarette/day for post-trauma cases.

Conclusion: Post-traumatic stress disorder associated with high levels of anger and aggression and alcohol can cause familial-marital problems, breaking up a family, increase in judicial problems and arrest, increase in ratios of self-mutilation and severe bodily injuries, physical violence to patterns and children, progressing of post-traumatic stress disorder, severe mental situations such as depression and suicide. For these reasons, careful detection of alcohol-drug abuse and overstimulation symptoms as anger/aggression in post-traumatic stress disorder, and rapid target-driven psychopharmacologic and psychotherapeutic interventions become more of an issue.