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If you went through a traumatic experience
and are having trouble getting back to your
regular life and reconnecting to others, you
may be suffering from post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD). When you have PTSD, it can
seem like you’ll never get over what happened
or feel normal again. But help is available
– and you are not alone. If you are willing
to seek treatment, stick with it, and reach
out to others for support, you will be able
to overcome the symptoms of PTSD and move on
with your life.
What is post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD)?
Wendy’s Story
Three months ago, Wendy was in a major car
accident. She sustained only minor injuries,
but two friends riding in her car were killed.
At first, the accident seemed like just a bad
dream. Then Wendy started having nightmares
about it: waking up in a cold sweat to the sound
of crunching metal and breaking glass. Now,
the sights and sounds of the accident haunt
her all the time. She has trouble sleeping at
night, and during the day she feels irritable
and on edge. She jumps whenever she hears a
siren or screeching tires, and she avoids all
TV programs that might show a car chase or accident
scene. Wendy also avoids driving whenever possible,
and refuses to go anywhere near the site of
the crash.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a
disorder that can develop following a traumatic
event that threatens your safety or makes you
feel helpless. Most people associate PTSD with
battle-scarred soldiers – and military
combat is the most common cause in men –
but any overwhelming life experience can trigger
PTSD, especially if the event is perceived as
unpredictable and uncontrollable.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can
affect those who personally experience the catastrophe,
those who witness it, and those who pick up
the pieces afterwards, including emergency workers
and law enforcement officers. It can even occur
in the friends or family members of those who
went through the actual trauma.
Traumatic events that can lead to
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) include:
• War
• Rape
• Natural disasters
• A car or plane crash • Kidnapping
• Violent assault
• Sexual or physical abuse
• Medical procedures (especially in kids)
PTSD is a response by normal people
to an abnormal situation
The traumatic events that lead to post-traumatic
stress disorder are usually so overwhelming
and frightening that they would upset anyone.
When your sense of safety and trust are shattered,
it’s normal to feel crazy, disconnected,
or numb – and most people do. The only
difference between people who go on to develop
PTSD and those who don’t is how they cope
with the trauma.
After a traumatic experience, the mind and
the body are in shock. But as you make sense
of what happened and process your emotions,
you come out of it. With post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD), however, you remain in psychological
shock. Your memory of what happened and your
feelings about it are disconnected. In order
to move on, it’s important to face and
feel your memories and emotions.
Symptoms of post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD)
Following a traumatic event, almost everyone
experiences at least some of the symptoms of
PTSD. It’s very common to have bad dreams,
feel fearful or numb, and find it difficult
to stop thinking about what happened. But for
most people, these symptoms are short-lived.
They may last for several days or even weeks,
but they gradually lift.
If you have post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD), however, the symptoms don’t decrease.
You don’t feel a little better each day.
In fact, you may start to feel worse. But PTSD
doesn’t always develop in the hours or
days following a traumatic event, although this
is most common. For some people, the symptoms
of PTSD take weeks, months, or even years to
develop.
The symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) can arise suddenly, gradually, or come
and go over time. Sometimes symptoms appear
seemingly out of the blue. At other times, they
are triggered by something that reminds you
of the original traumatic event, such as a noise,
an image, certain words, or a smell. While everyone
experiences PTSD differently, there are three
main types of symptoms, as listed below.
Re-experiencing the traumatic event
• Intrusive, upsetting memories of the
event
• Flashbacks (acting or feeling like the
event is happening again)
• Nightmares (either of the event or of
other frightening things)
• Feelings of intense distress when reminded
of the trauma
• Intense physical reactions to reminders
of the event (e.g. pounding heart, rapid breathing,
nausea, muscle tension, sweating)
PTSD symptoms of avoidance and emotional
numbing
• Avoiding activities, places, thoughts,
or feelings that remind you of the trauma
• Inability to remember important aspects
of the trauma
• Loss of interest in activities and life
in general
• Feeling detached from others and emotionally
numb
• Sense of a limited future (you don’t
expect to live a normal life span, get married,
have a career)
PTSD symptoms of increased arousal
• Difficulty falling or staying asleep
• Irritability or outbursts of anger
• Difficulty concentrating
• Hypervigilance (on constant “red
alert”)
• Feeling jumpy and easily startled
Other common symptoms of post-traumatic
stress disorder
• Anger and irritability
• Guilt, shame, or self-blame
• Substance abuse
• Depression and hopelessness
• Suicidal thoughts and feelings
• Feeling alienated and alone
• Feelings of mistrust and betrayal
• Headaches, stomach problems, chest pain
Getting help for post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD)
If you suspect that you or a loved one has
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it’s
important to seek help right away. The sooner
PTSD is confronted, the easier it is to overcome.
If you’re reluctant to seek help, keep
in mind that PTSD is not a sign of weakness,
and the only way to overcome it is to confront
what happened to you and learn to accept it
as a part of your past. This process is much
easier with the guidance and support of an experienced
therapist or doctor.
It’s only natural to want to avoid painful
memories and feelings. But if you try to numb
yourself and push your memories away, post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD) will only get worse.
You can’t escape your emotions completely
– they emerge under stress or whenever
you let down your guard – and trying to
do so is exhausting. The avoidance will ultimately
harm your relationships, your ability to function,
and the quality of your life.
Why Should I Seek Help for PTSD?
• Early treatment is better. Symptoms
of PTSD may get worse. Dealing with them now
might help stop them from getting worse in the
future. Finding out more about what treatments
work, where to look for help, and what kind
of questions to ask can make it easier to get
help and lead to better outcomes.
• PTSD symptoms can change family life.
PTSD symptoms can get in the way of your family
life. You may find that you pull away from loved
ones, are not able to get along with people,
or that you are angry or even violent. Getting
help for your PTSD can help improve your family
life.
• PTSD can be related to other health
problems. PTSD symptoms can worsen physical
health problems. For example, a few studies
have shown a relationship between PTSD and heart
trouble. By getting help for your PTSD you could
also improve your physical health.
Source: National Center for PTSD
Finding a therapist
for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
When looking for a therapist for post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD), seek out mental health
professionals who specialize in the treatment
of trauma and PTSD. You can start by asking
your doctor if he or she can provide a referral,
however, he or she may not know therapists with
experience treating trauma. You may also want
to ask other trauma survivors for recommendations,
or call a local mental health clinic, psychiatric
hospital, or counseling center.
Beyond credentials and experience, it’s
important to find a PTSD therapist who makes
you feel comfortable and safe, so there is no
additional fear or anxiety about the treatment
itself. Trust your gut; if a therapist doesn’t
feel right, look for someone else. For therapy
to work, you need to feel respected and understood.
Help for U.S. veterans with PTSD
If you’re a veteran suffering from PTSD
or trauma, you can turn to your local VA hospital
or Vet Center for help. Vet Centers offer free
counseling to combat veterans and their families.
To find out more about the resources and benefits
available to you, you can also call the VA Health
Benefits Service Center at 1-877-222-VETS.
Treatment for post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD)
Treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) relieves symptoms by helping you deal
with the trauma you’ve experienced. Rather
than avoiding the trauma and any reminder of
it, you’ll be encouraged in treatment
to recall and process the emotions and sensations
you felt during the original event. In addition
to offering an outlet for emotions you’ve
been bottling up, treatment for PTSD will also
help restore your sense of control and reduce
the powerful hold the memory of the trauma has
on your life.
Types of treatments for post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD)
• Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral
therapy. Cognitive-behavioral therapy
for PTSD and trauma involves carefully and gradually
“exposing” yourself to thoughts,
feelings, and situations that remind you of
the trauma. Therapy also involves identifying
upsetting thoughts about the traumatic event–particularly
thoughts that are distorted and irrational—and
replacing them with more balanced picture.
• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization
and Reprocessing) – EMDR incorporates
elements of cognitive-behavioral therapy with
eye movements or other forms of rhythmic, left-right
stimulation, such as hand taps or sounds. Eye
movements and other bilateral forms of stimulation
are thought to work by “unfreezing”
the brain’s information processing system,
which is interrupted in times of extreme stress,
leaving only frozen emotional fragments which
retain their original intensity. Once EMDR frees
these fragments of the trauma, they can be integrated
into a cohesive memory and processed.
• Family therapy. Since
PTSD affects both you and those close to you,
family therapy can be especially productive.
Family therapy can help your loved ones understand
what you’re going through. It can also
help everyone in the family communicate better
and work through relationship problems.
• Medication. Medication
is sometimes prescribed to people with PTSD
to relieve secondary symptoms of depression
or anxiety, but it does not treat the causes
of PTSD.
Self-help and support
for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Recovery from post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) is a gradual, ongoing processing. Healing
doesn’t happen overnight, nor do the memories
of the trauma ever disappear completely. This
can make life seem difficult at times. But there
are many things you can do to cope with residual
symptoms and reduce your anxiety and fear.
Reach out to others for support
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can
make you feel disconnected from others. You
may be tempted to withdraw from social activities
and your loved ones. But it’s important
to stay connected to life and the people who
care about you. Support from other people is
vital to your recovery from PTSD, so ask your
close friends and family members for their help
during this tough time.
Also consider joining a support group for
survivors of the same type of trauma you went
through. Support groups for post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) can help you feel less isolated
and alone. They also provide invaluable information
on how to cope with symptoms and work towards
recovery. If you can’t find a support
group in your area, look for an online group.
Avoid alcohol and drugs
When you’re struggling with the difficult
emotions and traumatic memories, you may be
tempted to self-medicate with alcohol or drugs.
But while alcohol or drugs may temporarily make
you feel better, they make post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) worse in the long run. Substance
use worsens many symptoms of PTSD, including
emotional numbing, social isolation, anger,
and depression. It also interferes with treatment
and can add to problems at home and in your
relationships.
Challenge your sense of helplessness
Overcoming your sense of helplessness is key
to overcoming post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD). Trauma leaves you feeling powerless
and vulnerable. It’s important to remind
yourself that you have strengths and coping
skills that can get you through tough times.
One of the best ways to reclaim your sense
of power is by helping others: volunteer your
time, give blood, reach out to a friend in need,
or donate to your favorite charity. Taking positive
action directly challenges the sense of helplessness
that contributes to trauma.
Post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) and the family
If a loved one has post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD), it’s essential that you take care
of yourself and get extra support. PTSD can
take a heavy toll on the family if you let it.
It can be hard to understand why your loved
one won’t open up to you – why he
or she is less affectionate and more volatile.
The symptoms of PTSD can also result in job
loss, substance abuse, and other stressful problems.
Letting your family member’s PTSD dominate
your life while ignoring your own needs is a
surefire recipe for burnout. In order to take
care of your loved one, you first need to take
care of yourself. It’s also helpful to
learn all you can about post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD). The more you know about the
symptoms and treatment options, the better equipped
you'll be to help your loved one and keep things
in perspective.
Helping a loved one with PTSD
• Be patient and understanding.
Getting better takes time, even when a person
is committed to treatment for PTSD. Be patient
with the pace of recovery and offer a sympathetic
ear. A person with PTSD may need to talk about
the traumatic event over and over again. This
is part of the healing process, so avoid the
temptation to tell your loved one to stop rehashing
the past and move on.
• Try to anticipate and prepare
for PTSD triggers. Common triggers
include anniversary dates; people or places
associated with the trauma; and certain sights,
sounds, or smells. If you are aware of what
triggers may cause an upsetting reaction, you’ll
be in a better position to offer your support
and help your loved one calm down.
• Don’t take the symptoms
of PTSD personally. Common symptoms
of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) include
emotional numbness, anger, and withdrawal. If
your loved one seems distant, irritable, or
closed off, remember that this may not have
anything to do with you or your relationship.
• Don’t pressure your
loved one into talking. It is very
difficult for people with PTSD to talk about
their traumatic experiences. For some, it can
even make things worse. Never try to force your
loved one to open up. Let the person know, however,
that you’re there when and if he or she
wants to talk.
Related links for post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD)
General information
about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Research Fact Sheet – Overview of the
latest research on PTSD, including its causes,
risk factors, and promising new treatments.
(National Institute of Mental Health)
Myths and Facts About PTSD
– Learn the truth behind common misconceptions
about PTSD. (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Alliance)
How Common is PTSD? –
Fact sheet on the prevalence of PTSD in the
U.S., including its occurrence in the military.
Also includes information on PTSD causes and
risk factors. (National Center for PTSD)
Symptoms of post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD)
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Self-Test – Online self-test for PTSD
to help you evaluate your symptoms. (Anxiety
Disorders Association of America)
The Symptoms of Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder: Chronic and/or Delayed –
Description of PTSD’s many symptoms, including
withdrawal, avoidance, isolation, and flashbacks.
(PTSD Support Services)
Treatment and help
for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Treatment of PTSD –
Guide to the treatments for PTSD, including
cognitive therapy, exposure therapy, and EMDR.
(National Center for PTSD)
Finding a Therapist –
Advice on how to find a therapist for PTSD treatment.
Includes questions to ask a potential therapist.
(National Center for PTSD)
Therapy for Post-Traumatic
Stress and Dissociative Conditions: What to
Look for and How to Choose a Therapist –
Tips on choosing a therapist and treatments
for PTSD. Includes a phone number for referrals.
(Sidran)
VVA's Guide on PTSD –
Advice for combat veterans on how to get help
and claim military benefits. (Vietnam Veterans
of America)
Coping with post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD)
Coping with PTSD and Recommended
Lifestyle Changes for PTSD Patients –
Tips on how to cope with PTSD in healthy ways
that promote healing and recovery. (National
Center for PTSD)
Managing Stress and Recovering
from Trauma: Facts and Resources for Veterans
and Families – Learn how to manage traumatic
stress and cope with the symptoms of PTSD. (National
Center for PTSD)
Helping a loved one
with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Returning from the War Zone:
A Guide for Families (PDF) – Advice for
service members and their families on what to
expect and how to adapt after returning home
from war. (National Center for PTSD)
Partners with PTSD –
Article for the friends and family members of
people with PTSD. Includes an explanation of
symptoms and what you can do to help. (Gift
from Within)
Partners of Veterans with
PTSD: Caregiver Burden and Related Problems
– Learn how to help a loved one with PTSD
while still taking care of yourself. Includes
tips for dealing with caregiver burnout. (National
Center for PTSD)
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