Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Trauma
What Is PTSD?
Not all people respond to traumatic events in the same way. Physical wounds may have healed, yet unseen scars left on the heart and mind are often painful and difficult to recover from, especially when they’ve developed into post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). But, with the right PTSD treatment, even the most severe psychological damage from traumatic events is treatable.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, PTSD affects 7.7 million adults. However, women are more likely to develop PTSD than men. The symptoms of PTSD can range from mild to severe and usually begin within three months of the trauma.
- Acute Stress Disorder: Symptoms appear within the first month of the trauma and last between two days and four weeks.
- Acute PTSD: Symptoms last for more than four weeks after the trauma.
- Delay Onset PTSD: This type is typically diagnosed when the signs and symptoms develop years after the traumatic event.
- Chronic PTSD: Symptoms last for more than three months, disappear for a few days, and then reappear. The degree of PTSD varies among individuals. Some people experience mild symptoms (such as irritability), while others are debilitated by the co-occurring disorders that often accompany PTSD, such as substance abuse, depressive disorders, and anxiety disorders. That’s why it’s important to seek help from a qualified mental health professional to treat the co-occurring conditions to facilitate a full recovery.
Signs and Symptoms of PTSD
- Intense or unpredictable feelings
- Feeling anxious, nervous, overwhelmed, or grief-stricken
- Uncontrollable irritability or moodiness
- Negative changes in thought and behavior patterns
- Repeated and vivid memories or nightmares of the traumatic events
- Rapid heartbeat or sweating
- Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
- Disrupted sleep and eating patterns
- Heightened anxiety or fears the traumatic event will be repeated
- Withdrawing, isolating, or disengaged from your usual social activities
- Experiencing stress-related physical symptoms, such as headaches, nausea, and chest pain
Treatment for PTSD
It can be challenging for victims of trauma to come forward and seek help. In addition, those who have gone through a traumatic event may feel shame, guilt, fear, or mistrust. They may also want to avoid thinking about the experience, which can sometimes lead to co-occurring substance use disorder or addiction.