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What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

When someone hears someone suffers from PTSD, they assume the individual served in the military. While it may be common for a soldier or veteran suffers from it. Believe it or not many civilians that do not serve in the military can be diagnosed with PTSD. To the be able to try to understand PTSD one needs to understand what it really is, how to recognize it and ways they be able to help the individual that has PTSD, and what treatments are available.     

  Post traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition that is triggered by experiencing a traumatic event or even witnessing it, this can be during war, being in a bad accident or even domestic abuse. Just because a person does not show sign right away does not mean they do not have it.      The symptoms of PTSD can vary from one person to another. Some may show it more than another. It may become more noticeable This can be when an individual is stressed in general or being exposed to a similar event they experienced. (Mayo Clinic, 2023)      

An individual may also experience depression, substance abuse when dealing with PTSD,

Other disorders can make it harder to diagnose is general anxiety, obsessive compulsion disorder known as OCD) dissociative disorders, and social phobia. (White, 2022)        Everyone reacts to trauma differently so to be able to approach a friend or loved one, one must know signs of PTSD, not everyone may show it. The signs an individual may be demonstrate are as followed.

·         Reexperiencing the traumatic event. (is the most common) The individual may involuntarily have vivid of the trauma. This can be having flashbacks, nightmares, repetitive and distressing images or sensations like pain, sweating, feeling sick, or rambling. Some individuals will have continual negative thought and what if’s about the event,

·         Another sign of PTSD is avoidance and emotional numbness. If the person avoids being reminded of the situation is a key factor of PTSD. This means the person may avoid certain places or people. Emotional numbness is the person not to feel anything.

·         3rd sign of PTSD is feeling on edge. The person with PTSD will be very tense and hyper alert and does not relax easily. A person feeling antsy may be irritable, have angry outbursts, may have insomnia, or may sleep more than usual and difficulty concentrating. PTSD if not healed can lead to work-related issues and relationship problems.

  If a friend or family member has PTSD there are ways to help them and show them the support that one experiencing PTSD:

·         Give them time to talk at their own pace. Remember it is important not to pressure them to talk if not ready.

·         Allow them to be upset about what happened.

·         Do not question why they did not act or say anything different. Do not down grade their experience or say it could have been worse than it was.

·         Learn their triggers, this may help avoid the situations.

·         Respect their space when they feel tense or antsy avoid crowding the individual ask permission to touch or hug them. Try not to surprise them or startle them.

  Some warning signs a person with PTSD has a change in behavior:

·         A change in their mood such as feeling low, anxious, upset, or angry or irritated.

·         Change in work habits such as missing deadlines, being late, or absent.

·         Change in energy levels; from extreme alertness or lack of focus

 While one may think they have things under control, however they may need treatment to function day to day. One common treatment is psychotherapy and medication.

PTSD therapy has three goals;

·         Improve symptoms

·         Teach skills to deal with it

·         Restore self esteem

This treatment falls under cognitive behavioral therapy.

    The medication will not get rid of the symptoms however the meds do make it easier to deal with the issues.

 The next time you feel your loved one may have PTSD give them the support they need do not make them talk about the traumatic event but let the individual know they do not have to go through the aftermath by themselves. The definition, symptom, and ways family and/or friends can help and what treatment is available has been covered. While this is not all the information it should give light to PTSD.

  Here is a list of resources that will help when an individual is experience some of the signs of PTSD.

·         https://www.ptsd.va.gov/gethelp

·         Call 988 for suicide and crisis hot line.

·         Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a volunteer Crisis Counselor

·         For veterans you may also contact your local VA center.

 References

 Helping someone with PTSD. Mind. (2021). Retrieved April 24, 2023, from https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd-and-complex-ptsd/for-friends-and-family/

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2022, December 13). Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved April 24, 2023, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20355967

NHS. (n.d.). Symptoms - Post-traumatic stress disorder. NHS choices. Retrieved April 24, 2023, from https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/symptoms/

WebMD. (2022, January 21). 6 common treatments for PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). WebMD. Retrieved April 24, 2023, from https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-are-treatments-for-posttraumatic-stress-disorder

White, T. (2022, August 22). Associated conditions of PTSD. Psych Central. Retrieved April 24, 2023, from https://psychcentral.com/ptsd/associated-conditions-of-ptsd