PTSD: Identify These 5 Symptoms and Where to Turn for Support
PTSD stands for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.
It can affect anyone who has experienced a traumatic event. Such events include a natural disaster, a violent attack, a major accident, or a series of events such as living in a war zone, childhood our spousal abuse, bullying, and many other cumulative events. PTSD is a serious mental health issue. Severe cases make it impossible for people to function in their daily lives. Milder forms of PTSD cause a lot of suffering too, wearing on sufferers and their loved ones.
PTSD symptoms occur when the nervous system is ‘locked’ into the elevated stress response experienced during the initial trauma. This stress response enables you to act quickly and survive. Unfortunately, it is dangerous and unhealthy to live this way long-term. If the high-stress response impacting the central nervous system cannot be ‘down-regulated’ it re-emerges months or even years later.
Look for these symptoms if you worry that you or a loved one may be suffering from PTSD (even if you don’t know the cause).
Flashbacks: Sudden, overwhelming memories related to the trauma can occur for PTSD sufferers. Flashbacks tend to be very vivid, and the memories feel as if they happened just a few moments ago. Therefore, the flashback often triggers emotional and physical reactions like those you experienced during the original trauma. Also, flashbacks are triggered by anything that reminds you of the traumatic event. Sometimes it can be as random as a sound or smell.
Nightmares: Like flashbacks, trauma-related nightmares can feel very real. Your mind tries to process the trauma, like other memories, through the medium of dreams. Unfortunately, hyper-arousal occurs during stress. Subsequently, you re-experience the trauma repeatedly.
Avoidance and anxiety around traumatic memories or potential triggers: If you suffer from PTSD, one of the ways to protect yourself is to avoid anything that might trigger a strong reaction. At times, PTSD may be triggered anyway. In addition, anxiety can result in panic attacks.
Physical symptoms related to traumatic memories: Headaches, chest pain, nausea, dizziness, back pain, muscle cramps. These occur specifically in connection with flashbacks, memory triggers or nightmares.
Psychological issues resulting from PTSD: The traumatic re-experiencing can lead to numbness and/or agitated states of mind. Other symptoms caused by PTSD are depression and anxiety. There is a lot of research into why some people develop PTSD while others don’t. Important factors include the type of trauma, the amount of trauma, and the method of trauma resolution and/or treatment.
If you are concerned about PTSD, seek help.
The website of the American Psychological Association offers information regarding several excellent books for adults and children on the subject of PTSD. Medline, run by the Federal Government, too, has many links to associations and practitioners in your area. Also, the National Center for PTSD offers extra resources for veterans and their families.
Several online forums offer support, providing activities to connect with others who suffer from PTSD and opportunities to educate yourself further.
Successful PTSD treatment includes a combination of counseling, psychotherapy, and medication. Seek out a mental health care professional specializing in the treatment of PTSD or ask your doctor to refer you
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