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Post - Traumatic Stress
Signs and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder typically begin within three months of a traumatic event. In a small number of cases, though, PTSD symptoms may not occur until years after the event. Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms are commonly grouped into three types: intrusive memories, avoidance and numbing, and increased anxiety or emotional arousal (hyperarousal).
Symptoms of intrusive memories may include:
- Flashbacks, or reliving the traumatic event for minutes or even days at a time
- Upsetting dreams about the traumatic event
- Symptoms of avoidance and emotional numbing
- Trying to avoid thinking or talking about the traumatic event
- Feeling emotionally numb
- Avoiding activities they once enjoyed
- Hopelessness about the future
- Memory problems
- Trouble concentrating
- Difficulty maintaining close relationships
Symptoms of anxiety and increased emotional arousal may include:
- Irritability or anger
- Overwhelming guilt or shame
- Self-destructive behavior, such as drinking too much
- Trouble sleeping
- Being easily startled or frightened
- Hearing or seeing things that aren't there
A flashback is a psychological phenomenon in which an individual has a sudden, usually powerful, re-experiencing of a past experience or elements of a past experience. The term is used particularly when the memory is recalled involuntarily, and/or when it is so intense that the person "relives" the experience, unable to fully recognize it as memory and not something that is happening in "real time". The medical term for the phenomenon is "hypnagogic regression."
Flashbacks are not necessarily episodic — that is, the re-experienced memories may not include specific identifying features (such as images and sounds) that were part of the original event or experience. Because there is a strong emotional component to memory as well, flashbacks can occur as a rush of feelings, emotions, such as anger, hopelessness, and fear and/or sensations associated with a traumatic event. This is especially true for young children who were lacking the cognitive abilities needed to define and characterize the trauma when they experienced it, but who may, nevertheless, relive all of the emotions associated with the traumatic event. In addition, those adult survivors of childhood trauma who have solely these emotional memories to draw on, also may experience them in flashbacks.
When they occur involuntarily, flashbacks may be due to a disorder such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (in cases of war-related trauma, physical or sexual abuse trauma) or Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (when a person has used psychedelic drugs).
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a type of anxiety disorder that's triggered by a traumatic event. You can develop post-traumatic stress disorder when you experience or witness an event that causes intense fear, helplessness or horror.
Many people who are involved in traumatic events have a brief period of difficulty adjusting and coping. But with time and healthy coping methods, such traumatic reactions usually get better. In some cases, though, the symptoms can get worse or last for months or even years. Sometimes they may completely disrupt your life. In these cases, you may have post-traumatic stress disorder.
Getting treatment as soon as possible after post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms develop may prevent PTSD from becoming a long-term condition.
Signs and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder typically begin within three months of a traumatic event. In a small number of cases, though, PTSD symptoms may not occur until years after the event.
Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms are commonly grouped into three types: intrusive memories, avoidance and numbing, and increased anxiety or emotional arousal (hyperarousal).
Symptoms of intrusive memories may include:
- Flashbacks, or reliving the traumatic event for minutes or even days at a time
- Upsetting dreams about the traumatic event
Symptoms of avoidance and emotional numbing may include:
- Trying to avoid thinking or talking about the traumatic event
- Feeling emotionally numb
- Avoiding activities you once enjoyed
- Hopelessness about the future
- Memory problems
- Trouble concentrating
- Difficulty maintaining close relationships
Symptoms of anxiety and increased emotional arousal may include:
- Irritability or anger
- Overwhelming guilt or shame
- Self-destructive behavior, such as drinking too much
- Trouble sleeping
- Being easily startled or frightened
- Hearing or seeing things that aren't there
Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms can come and go. You may have more post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms during times of higher stress or when you experience reminders of what you went through. You may hear a car backfire and relive combat experiences, for instance. Or you may see a report on the news about a rape, and feel again the horror and fear of your own assault.
Causes
Researchers are still trying to better understand what causes someone to get post-traumatic stress disorder. As with most mental illnesses, post-traumatic stress disorder is probably caused by a complex mix of:
- Inherited predisposition to psychiatric illness, especially anxiety and depression
- Your life experiences, including the amount and severity of trauma you've been exposed to since early childhood
- The inherited aspects of your personality — often called your temperament
- The way your brain regulates the chemicals and hormones your body releases in response to stress
Risk factors
Although researchers don't know exactly what causes post-traumatic stress disorder, they do know some of the risk factors involved, or the things that make you more likely to get PTSD.
People of all ages can have post-traumatic stress disorder. It's relatively common among adults, with about 8 percent of the population having PTSD at some time in their lives. Post-traumatic stress disorder is especially common among those who have served in combat, and it's sometimes called "shell shock," "battle fatigue" or "combat stress."
Women are four times more likely than men to develop PTSD. Experts believe this is because women are at increased risk of experiencing the kinds of interpersonal violence — such as sexual violence — most likely to lead to PTSD.
Kinds of traumatic events
In men, the most common events leading to the development of PTSD include:
- Combat exposure
- Rape
- Childhood neglect and physical abuse
- Sexual molestation
- Physical attack
- Being threatened with a weapon
In women, traumatic events most often associated with PTSD include:
- Rape
- Sexual molestation
- Physical attack
- Being threatened with a weapon
- Childhood physical abuse
- Partners of sex addicts
But many other traumatic events also can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder, including fire, natural disaster, mugging, robbery, assault, civil conflict, car accident, plane crash, torture, kidnapping, life-threatening medical diagnosis, terrorist attack and other extreme or life-threatening events.
Increasing your risk
Not everyone who experiences these kinds of traumatic events goes on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder. Some factors that may make you more likely to develop PTSD after a traumatic event include:
- The traumatic event is especially severe or intense.
- The traumatic event was long lasting.
- Having an existing mental health condition.
- Lacking a good support system of family and friends.
- Having first-degree relatives with PTSD.
- Having first-degree relatives with depression.
- Having been abused or neglected as a child.
Complications
Post-traumatic stress disorder can disrupt your whole life: your job, your relationships and even your enjoyment of everyday activities.
Having PTSD also may place you at a higher risk of other mental health problems, including:
- Depression
- Drug abuse
- Alcohol abuse
- Eating disorders
- Suicidal thoughts and actions
In addition, studies of war veterans have demonstrated a link between PTSD and the development of medical illnesses, including:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Chronic pain
- Autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and thyroid disease
- Musculoskeletal conditions
More research is needed to understand the relationship between PTSD and physical health problems.
(http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/DS00246/DSECTION=symptoms)
Licensed Psycholgist
Joseph S. Auria, MA, MBA
There is no prosthetic for an amputated spirit
The wounds we carry in our memory are hard to heal.
"You can't keep putting everyone's life ahead of yours and think that counts as love." The Perks of Being a Wallfower
