Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
PTSD is a disorder that can impact anyone at any time in their life, making it a common diagnosis among people who experience traumatic life events or situations.
What is PTSD?
PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, is a psychiatric disorder that spawns from a traumatic event or situation that a person may experience. In society today, PTSD has most culturally been associated with the military, as many soldiers in active combat come home from wartime with very traumatic experiences that they have observed or been through. However, PTSD encompasses a large number of people who have experienced many other different types of trauma, including, women, men, children, adults, and teenagers alike. Psychiatric disorders such as PTSD are situational dependent on an action or event, something that happened to that person that triggered that response in them. Once the person has been triggered, they begin experiencing the symptoms of PTSD.
Symptoms of PTSD
After the initial traumatic even occurs, the person may experience a variety of disturbing symptoms that make it extremely difficult for them to function normally in everyday life. I think I've said this before in one of my previous psychology articles; every single mental disorder in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) has certain criteria that a person must meet in order to be diagnosed with the disorder. In addition, it has to be impacting areas of the person's life that make it difficult for them to function as they normally do. The following is a list and explanation of some of the different types of symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder.
PTSD in Today's Society
PTSD is a psychiatric disorder most commonly referenced in relation to people in the military who experience traumatic situations in their jobs, but PTSD can impact anyone who goes through something traumatic.
Avoiding Certain Things
Avoidant behavior is one of the telltale signs that someone might be experiencing PTSD. PTSD causes "triggers" which are certain things in a person's everyday life that might bring them back to the trauma they've experienced. Out of survival instinct, the person will avoid these places, things, or ideas that trigger them to prevent that from happening. For instance, if the crime occurred in a dark mall parking lot, the person with PTSD may avoid malls or dark mall parking lots, or they may avoid going to the mall at night. People with PTSD desperately want to forget, and don't want to be constantly reminded of the pain that they have endured.
Being Hypervigilant
Another telling characteristic of PTSD is hypervigilance. This is like the body's psychological defense system; people tend to be extra cautious or in that "fight or flight" mode long after the trauma happens. Our natural instincts tell us that if something has happened once, it may very well happen again, especially if the person experiencing the trauma is not able to safely get out of the situation. They will always feel "on edge" in certain situations that trigger them and remind them of the event that occurred.
Intrusive Memories or Flashbacks
One of the more noted signs of PTSD is intrusive memories or what are termed "flashbacks". These are moments in a person's life in which they may be almost taken back to the traumatic situation they faced as if dreaming while awake. They might be picturing what is happening in their head and repeating this every time they are triggered by something, or they may be constantly full of memories that just won't go away. Flashbacks can and will often disrupt sleep, every day activities, and make the person suffering from PTSD even more on edge. It's a frightening experience, especially because flashbacks can cause hallucinations, which brings us to our next symptom: dissociation.
Flashbacks
People with PTSD are in a constant state of worry and "fight or flight". As such, they may experience flashbacks or visions in the middle of the day that make it difficult for them to function in their daily lives.
Dissociation
Dissociation is when a person feels disconnected from the world around them. Sometimes, people describe this as an "out of body" experience. Many victims of vicious crimes talk about how during the trauma, they felt as if they were outside of their body looking down on what was happening to them. This is a form of dissociation. Dissociation can also happen long after the incident has occurred. Anything that may trigger the individual could cause dissociation to happen, and it could happen anywhere. Flashbacks and intrusive thoughts may encourage visions or a dream like state in which the person feels detached enough from reality that they can only focus on their anxiety and terror about the situation.
Treatment Options
As stated previously, PTSD can have a variety of symptoms that make it extremely difficult for the person that has experienced the trauma to function in every day life. They may constantly feel worried, exposed, or like the situation could happen all over again in an instance. Additionally, since PTSD is such a personal disorder, stemming from the fears of the person, treatment options tend to be very particular to the individual that has experienced the trauma.
While psych medications might be prescribed for people with PTSD, they are not the "cure all" for something like this. Instead, a combination of medication and psychotherapy is normally the standard treatment plan. This may include CBT therapy, EMDR, or exposure therapy.
Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is a strategy in which the psychiatrist or professional aims to help the individual by reframing their negative thoughts. It is about learning to see the positives and to understand that negative thoughts lead to negative feelings. Therefore, training individuals to reframe these negative thoughts can help them ease through their day a little bit better.
EDMR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a method in which the professional seeks to get the information from the patient by focusing their eye movements. The individual then may go into a "trance" like state and reveal more hidden details about the trauma they have experienced. This can help professionals understand what the person may be feeling and hesitating to say, which can further aid in the personalized treatment plan for PTSD. EDMR is not a standard practice, as it is seen to some as unbelievable, so if a person does seek this kind of treatment, they have to find an individual who is certified to do so.
Lastly, exposure therapy is another strategy that works to help people suffering from PTSD overcome their fears and begin to live their lives once again. Exposure therapy, as its name suggests, is a type of therapy in which a person may be exposed to something frightening that triggers their PTSD. Instead of avoiding, the therapist works with the patient to confront their fears and see that they are strong enough to get through this. This can be very helpful, for instance, if someone experiences PTSD in the workplace. The therapists' exposure therapy goal may be to slowly start getting the person back into the workplace by walking through the building with them and talking. Whatever a person fears about the situation is what needs to be addressed in exposure therapy so that they have the tools to address this issue should any triggers like this happen in the future.
In addition to these methods, there are also some recommended activities and things that persons with PTSD can do to help themselves. Some examples may include exercise, meditation, mindfulness, or acupuncture.
All of these methods are used to help people with PTSD better manage their lives after experiencing the traumatic situation that they did.
Conclusion
As you can see, PTSD is often a complex and very personal disorder to diagnose and treat. Treatment in large part depends on the cooperation of the patient, and their willingness to confront those fears so that they can regain control of their lives. Sometimes, that is extremely difficult, and many people do not seek treatment for their PTSD symptoms. It is important as a society that we encourage people that experience trauma to speak up about it and reach out for help. Only then can an individual learn to bravely keep living after going through something so terrible. To me, people that have experienced PTSD are the real heroes in life, no matter what is they went through. They are survivors. They are smart, and talented, and kind. They are the people who made it through, and we must continue to help them. That's the only way we can help lessen the long term impacts of PTSD on a person's psychiatric health.
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and does not substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, and/or dietary advice from a licensed health professional. Drugs, supplements, and natural remedies may have dangerous side effects. If pregnant or nursing, consult with a qualified provider on an individual basis. Seek immediate help if you are experiencing a medical emergency.
© 2024 Anne Marie Carr
