What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
Everyone experiences frightening situations in their lives. It is normal for us to feel nervous, have a hard time falling asleep, or have recurring thoughts about the situation after having experienced something frightening. The discomfort and disruption in our lives eventually will go away and we resume our normal lives. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is different. PTSD is brought on by the experience of witnessing events associated with death, the threat of death, serious injury, or sexual violence. Traumatic events are unexpected and a person often feels powerless to stop or change the event.
PTSD is not always brought on by a single event. PTSD can be experienced over a longer period of time, such as in cases of abuse or during war. Due to regular exposure to traumatic events, people in certain careers have higher rates of PTSD.
PTSD Symptoms
The symptoms of PTSD vary, and not everyone will experience PTSD in the same way. Some of the common symptoms include;
Reliving the traumatic event (e.g. nightmares, flashbacks, intrusive thoughts)
- Avoidance of distressing memories, thoughts, and feelings
- Avoiding things that remind you of the traumatic event
- Inability to recall important aspects of the traumatic event
- Detachment from reality, where you act as if the traumatic event is recurring
- Difficulty concentrating
- Persistent negative emotions (e.g. sadness, fear, irritability, anger, etc.)
- Difficulty experiencing positive emotions
- Low self-esteem and self-blame
People with PTSD can experience other mental health challenges at the same time. As a result, people with PTSD may turn to unhealthy coping strategies, such as drugs or alcohol, which can lead to substance dependence and abuse.
Treatment
Counselling with a mental health professional has been proven to be a successful intervention for individuals with PTSD. The specially trained trauma therapists at Pathways Counselling can help you regain control of your life, rebuild self-esteem and confidence, and get you back to enjoying quality of life.
Sources
- American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.
- Canadian Mental Health Association. (2016). Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).