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Writer's pictureAvani Babtiwale
Nov 27, 20215 min read

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Updated: Dec 2, 2021

“My past is an armor I cannot take off, no matter how many times you tell me the war is over.” - Jessica Katoff


Post-traumatic stress disorder, shortened to PTSD, is a mental health disorder that is generally triggered by a traumatic event, either by experiencing or witnessing it. Many people who experience trauma find it difficult to cope and adjust, but with effective therapy and self-care, they can improve their mental state. If the symptoms are very unbearable, and are interfering with a person’s daily life, they may have PTSD.


Symptoms

PTSD symptoms can show up any time from either a month of the traumatic event to many years after the event. These symptoms affect your daily functioning. PTSD symptoms are generally grouped into four types that are: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking, and mood and emotional reactions.


Intrusive memories

Symptoms may include-

  • Getting flashbacks of the traumatic event

  • Recurrent memories of the traumatic incident

  • Extreme emotional reactions after being reminded of the traumatic event

  • Having nightmares about the traumatic occurrence

Avoidance

Symptoms may include-

  • Actively avoided people, activities, and places that remind you of the trauma

  • Trying your best to avoid talking or thinking about the event causing you trauma

Negative Changes in Thinking and Mood

Symptoms may include-

  • Being hopeless about the future

  • Negative thoughts about yourself and/or the world.

  • Difficulty in maintaining close relationships

  • Memory problems, including forgetting important details about the traumatic event.

  • Feeling detached from people you once considered close

  • Loss of interest in hobbies

  • Hard to experience positive emotions

  • Feeling numb emotionally

Changes in Physical and Emotional Reactions

Symptoms may include-

  • Make sure you always have your guard up to protect yourself from danger

  • Being frightened or startled very easily.

  • Engage in self-destructive behavior, for example, drinking and driving.

  • Irregular sleep cycle

  • Inability to concentrate

  • Being overwhelmed by shame and guilt

  • Being irritable and having outbursts because of losing your temper

If the person in question is 6 years old or younger, signs and symptoms, in this case, can also include:

  • Nightmares that may or may not be related to the event causing the trauma

  • Re-enacting the traumatic incident through skits, plays, etc.

It should also be noted that the intensity of the symptoms can vary from person to person, and not everyone shares the same experience.


Causes

As with most mental illnesses, it is very difficult to pinpoint one cause of PTSD. It is possibly said to be a combination of:

  • Genetically inherited mental illnesses, for example, having a family history of depression, anxiety, etc.

  • Inherited personality features, oftentimes your temperament.

  • Issues with the brain regulating hormones and chemicals in the body in response to stress.

  • The severity and amount of trauma you have faced in your life that adds up to be stressful experiences.


Risk Factors

PTSD can occur in people of all ages. But, there are indeed certain factors that can make you more prone to develop PTSD after experiencing certain traumas. These risk factors are:

  • Having experiences long-lasting, or being in a severely traumatic event, for example, a car crash

  • Having experienced trauma in the past, for example, being abused in childhood

  • Not having a stable support system of supportive and caring friends and family

  • Being related by blood to people who have been diagnosed with mental illnesses

  • Being yourself diagnosed with mental illnesses

  • Having issues with addiction and substance abuse

  • Having a high-risk job requires you to be exposed to traumatic events. For example, being on the frontlines in the military.


Types of Traumatic Events

Many events can trigger PTSD. The most common ones are:

  • Child physical/sexual abuse

  • Accidents

  • Sexual harassment/abuse

  • Combat exposure

  • Physical abuse

Other than these, there are also events like natural disasters, kidnapping, stalking, theft, etc. that could cause PTSD.


Complications

If you have PTSD, your entire life gets disrupted. It will make it very difficult to focus on relationships, jobs, health, etc. Being diagnosed with PTSD will also increase your risk of developing the following:

  • Substance/drug abuse

  • Eating disorders

  • Suicidal thoughts and/or actions

  • Depression

  • Anxiety


Prevention

Developing PTSD-like symptoms after being involved in a traumatic event is very common as guilt, anger, fear are all known responses to trauma. It is also to be noted that most people who have faced trauma do not develop PTSD in the long run.


Getting adequate support on time seems to be the key aspect in preventing PTSD. It is very important to have family, friends, and close ones who will offer you support and comfort. It would also be very beneficial if you seek out a therapist or a mental health professional who will be able to guide you. Other than these you can also look into treatments such as meditation and yoga. These may not directly cure your mental illness, but they are helpful if included in your routine as it gives you something to look forward to. Though prevention may not always work, there is no harm in trying because it may improve your chances of not developing PTSD.


Treatment

PTSD treatment has been known to help people regain their composure, and control over their life. The major treatments are psychotherapy, and may also involve medication.


Psychotherapy

Many types of psychotherapy can be used to treat children and adults with PTSD. Some types of psychotherapy include:

  1. Cognitive therapy- This type of therapy helps the person recognize their ways of thinking that are keeping them stuck in one place. Cognitive therapy will assist you with the negative beliefs that you have of yourself, and being scared of the traumatic events happening again. In the case of PTSD, cognitive therapy is paired with exposure therapy.

  2. Exposure therapy- This type of therapy helps you confront traumatic memories and situations in a safe, and controlled manner so that the affected person can cope effectively. Exposure therapy is said to be helpful in case of nightmares and flashbacks. One method of exposure therapy is the usage of virtual reality programs that makes the affected person re-enter the setting in which they faced trauma.

  3. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)- This is a type of therapy that involves exposure therapy, and a series of guided eye movements that help process traumatic memories, and change how you respond to them.

Therapy can be done individually as well as in a group.


Medication

Many types of medications are used to treat PTSD. Antidepressants, anti-anxiety medication, and Prazosin are used commonly. Do note that it is important to not self-medicate, and instead only take these if a licensed professional has prescribed them to you as they will help you properly in case of side effects. It is also very important to follow your medications properly by schedule, and not stop suddenly because you feel better. Taking medication to help deal with mental illness is not something to be ashamed of.


These treatments can help improve your symptoms by

  • Making you gain skills to address your symptoms

  • Helping you to have a better outlook on yourself and the world

  • Learning coping methods in case the symptoms show up again

  • Treating other mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, substance abuse, etc.


Conclusion

PTSD can be very scary, but with the right amount of care and lots of treatment, many people have come to be able to cope with it. People must realize no amount of trauma has the power to control them, and having faith in the process of healing would make the entire process easier. It is important to make sure that you do not medicate yourself, have a solid support system, take care of yourself, etc so that you can follow your routine without it being disrupted by memories of trauma.


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