Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and You

Our daily lives are full of stress and anxious interactions, be it work or personal experiences. Sometimes a traumatic event can strike in the glimpse of a second, and change your life, or the life of a loved one. There are people out there, who are experiencing PTSD—and knowing more about such a vital psychological phenomenon can aid us in the process of helping ourselves and our loved ones.

What Is PTSD?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a kind of anxiety disorder. PTSD may develop after getting involved in, or witnessing a traumatic event. This psychological condition was first spotted in war veterans. However, the diagnosis of PTSD is not limited to soldiers and war veterans. The fact is that there is a wide range of traumatic experiences which can cause PTSD.

PTSD Symptoms

The particular symptoms of PTSD can alter extensively amongst individuals. Yet, most of these symptoms fall generally in stated categories.

• Avoidance and emotional numbing
• Re-experiencing
• Hyperarousal

Avoidance and Emotional Numbing

Trying to avoid being reminded of the traumatic event is of the main key symptoms of PTSD. This typically means evading certain people or places that remind people of the trauma, or avoiding speaking to anyone about their experiences. Many people with PTSD attempt to drive memories of the event out of their mind, frequently diverting themselves with work or hobbies. Furthermore, some people attempt to deal with their feelings by trying not to feel anything at all. This is known as emotional numbing. This can lead to the person becoming isolated and withdrawn, and they may also give up practising activities they used to enjoy.

Re-experiencing

Re-experiencing is the most archetypal symptom of PTSD.

Re-experiencing occurs through a person involuntarily and vividly reliving the traumatic event in the form of:

• Nightmares
• Distressing and repetitive images or sensations
• Physical feelings, such as sweating, pain, trembling or feeling sick
• Flashbacks

Some people have ongoing negative thoughts about their experience, repetitively asking themselves questions that prevent them from coming to terms with the event. For example, one can question the reason why the event has occurred to them, or if anything could have been done to prevent the event from happening. Such an approach could lead to feelings of shame and guilt, which holds individuals back from getting better.

Hyperarousal

Hyperarousal refers to a state of mind which is constantly aware of threats, and is easily startled. This is because someone with PTSD can feel extremely anxious, and can find it extremely difficult to relax.

Therefore, hyperarousal more than often leads to:

• Difficulty concentrating
• Angry outbursts
• Sleeping issues (insomnia)
• Irritability

Who is at risk of suffering PTSD symptoms?

• Dealing with stress after the event, like the death of a family member or a loved one, pain, injury, job loss, or homelessness.
• Feeling horror, vulnerability, or tremendous terror in the case of a traumatic experience.
• Surviving dangerous situations, or experiencing trauma, or a series of traumatic events.
• A history of mental illness or substance abuse.
• Seeing another person seriously injured or hurt, or seeing a dead body.
• Experiencing childhood trauma and abuse.
• Having little to no social support after the traumatic event or injury.

Treatment Options for PTSD

Depending on the severity of the condition, and the individual in question, treatment for PTSD may include a combination of professional therapies, such as:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Medications (SSRIs and SNRIs)
• Short-term Sleep Aids
• Talk Therapy
• Group Therapy

What can you do?

Acquiring knowledge on such a crucial psychological phenomenon can help us understand the people we are surrounding, and ourselves. Through understanding and learning more about psychological conditions we can provide support to people around us, or understand ourselves and what we are going through.