Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can occur after a person has experienced serious trauma. Most commonly, PTSD is caused by exposure to a dangerous situation in which the person’s life is in danger. This can be anything from combat exposure to sexual assault, physical attack, and overexposure to the media (e.g., natural disasters). People with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder often re-experience the traumatic event through memories, flashbacks, or nightmares. They may even feel the event was happening in the present, causing them to fear for their own life and safety.
Dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can be difficult, especially if you are trying to do it without knowledge of self-help resources that can help. We understand your frustration and confusion during this time. Therefore, we provide research-based information that will allow you to understand what you are experiencing if you have this condition. The more you know about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, the more you can take control of your life. You can make informed decisions on handling the symptoms and help yourself improve.
What Causes Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
When faced with a stressful event, your nervous system reacts with a fight-or-flight response. Your heart beats faster, your blood pressure rises, and your muscles tighten, increasing strength and reaction speed. When the danger has passed, your nervous system calms down your body by lowering your heart rate and blood pressure and winding down to normal.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurs when a person has experienced an extremely disturbing event and continues to feel threatened. The person’s nervous system remains in a heightened state of arousal, unable to return to its normal state of balance and unable to move on from the trauma. Treatment involves helping a person’s nervous system become unstuck so they can heal and move on from their traumatic experience.
What Are The Signs and Symptoms Of PTSD?
The development of PTSD varies among individuals because everyone’s nervous system and tolerance for stress are slightly different. While some people may begin to experience emotional and physical symptoms immediately following a traumatic event, others do not develop symptoms until months or even years after the traumatic event has occurred. Sometimes signs and symptoms appear seemingly out of the blue. The other times they can be triggered by something that reminds a person of the traumatic event—a sight, sound, smell, taste, or feeling. While everyone experiences symptoms differently, some symptoms are common in PTSD.
Here are the four main types.
- Avoidance And Numbing – Some people try to avoid thoughts and feelings related to the trauma. They may avoid things that remind them of the event, such as people, places, or activities. Others try not to think about it by blocking out painful emotions.
- Re-experiencing a Traumatic Event – People may have flashbacks, nightmares, or trauma-related thoughts. They may also feel like the event is happening again or as if they are reliving it.
- Hyperarousal – This can include being easily startled and feeling on edge. You might be irritable or jumpy and have trouble sleeping.
- Negative Thoughts And Feelings About Self – People may believe they’re weak, flawed, or to blame for what happened.
PTSD Signs And Symptoms In Kids
Children, particularly young children, may show signs and symptoms of PTSD that are different from those of adults.
- A great fear of being separated from their parents.
- They may have trouble sleeping and have nightmares.
- They may not want to talk about what happened.
- They may also be irritable and impatient with other children.
- Losing previously-acquired skills like toilet training
- New fears and anxieties that don’t seem to be related to the trauma
Risk Factors For PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder can occur in people of all ages. Certain factors, however, may increase the risk of developing PTSD following a traumatic event, such as:
- A victim of physical or sexual abuse in childhood.
- Losing a loved one to death through violent means.
- People with other mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression
- Having problems with substance abuse or dependence.
- Having relatives with mental health problems like depression or anxiety
Types Of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Trauma
Trauma or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms can result from many different types of distressing experiences, including
1. Military Combat
If you’ve served in the military and experienced combat, there is a higher chance you will develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Warfare is a traumatic experience that can cause many symptoms, including nightmares or flashbacks. This type of trauma is often associated with physical injury during combat or directly after when injured soldiers return home. But you have to remember that you are not alone in your experience. If you have posttraumatic stress disorder due to your time in the military, there is help available.
2. Emotional And Psychological Trauma
If you have experienced a stressful event or series of events that has left you feeling helpless and emotionally traumatized, you are at risk for developing PTSD. Emotional trauma may result from major life events like the death of a spouse or child, divorce, job loss, or financial problems. Being harassed, bullied, or threatened in any way. Being pressured into doing something that you think is wrong. This may cause you to feel fearful, angry, and helpless. You may also feel pain, guilt, or shame for not being able to stop it.
3. Rape Or Sexual Trauma
Rape or sexual trauma can be as damaging to a person’s mental state as an emotionally traumatic event because of the violation of boundaries and trust. People who have been raped often feel humiliated, confused, and angry. They may also feel shame for not saying no or fighting back (if they were unable to do so). These feelings lead to people having a conflict with their sexuality and feeling like they lost control over it.
4. Race-based Traumatic Stress
Racial trauma stems from exposure to racist abuse or injustice. It can erode your sense of self-worth and lead to depression, substance abuse, and even symptoms of PTSD like negative thoughts, mood changes, and hypervigilance. But there are various ways to strengthen your resilience and safeguard your mental health.
Tips on How To Deal With PTSD
Whatever the cause of your PTSD, there are several ways to help you deal with it. One thing you must remember is there is always hope:
1. Challenge Your Sense Of Helplessness
When you have PTSD, it can feel like you’re trapped in a world of fear and helplessness. You might think that nothing will ever change, but this is not true: You can take control of your symptoms and begin to feel better again. One way to do this is by challenging the idea that there’s nothing you can do about your symptoms—this will make them seem less overwhelming.
One of the ways to reclaim your sense of control is by helping other people: This can be as simple as making a cup of tea for someone having a bad day, volunteering at a charity, or giving blood. It does not matter how small your act of kindness is—the important thing is that you do something kind for someone else.
2. Engage In Exercise
It’s natural to want to pull away and isolate yourself when you’re feeling frightened or overwhelmed by your symptoms. Engaging in physical activity can help take your mind out of these overwhelming thoughts, letting you feel better emotionally. Exercise is one of the ideal ways to activate the brain’s “happy chemicals,” like serotonin, which can boost your mood and calm your fears. Exercise can help your nervous system become “unstuck” and start to move out of the immobilization stress response – walking, jogging, or dancing can all be forms of exercise you can do on your own.
3. Practice Mindfulness Meditation and Yoga
These activities can help you focus on your physical feelings, thoughts, and emotions rather than being trapped in a cycle of trauma. By starting and ending your meditation or yoga practice with a few deep, slow breaths, you can avoid the cycle of negative thoughts that may come from distractions.
4. Reach out to others for support
Connecting with friends, families, or a support group can help relieve your sense of loneliness and isolation. You can do this in person or over the phone. Talking to someone who understands what you’re going through can be a huge relief and make you feel less alone. You can also try to:
Joining a PTSD support group: Being a part of a local, national or global PTSD support group can help you create a community of people who are going through the same traumatic experience. This can feel supportive and give you a sense of belonging.
5. Search for Ways to Self-Soothe
It is great to realize that the present moment is the only one you can control. You can’t control what happened in the past, just like you can’t control future events. The only real moment is NOW.
There are many ways to help yourself relax and overcome emerging feelings associated with PTSD. Consider adding some of the following to your normal routine.
- Writing in a journal – Journaling and writing about trauma is how many people have found healing. Laying out your thoughts and feelings in writing can help you connect with yourself and help manage your symptoms.
- Music therapy – Listening to music is a great way to reduce stress and tension. It can also help you feel more connected to your emotions and express yourself. You might try slow music like classical, instrumental, or soft rock, or even try singing or playing an instrument. Anything calming and soothing will help tremendously.
- Massage – Receiving a massage is a great way to relax your body as well as your mind, releasing tension from deep inside. According to (AMTA) American Massage Therapy Association, massage helps to alleviate PTSD signs and symptoms by stimulating circulation and the lymphatic system and promoting calmness.
6. Support Treatment For Post-traumatic Stress Disorder With A Healthy Lifestyle:
Post-traumatic stress disorder can have a negative effect on your life. It can make it hard for you to carry out simple tasks and keep you from enjoying the activities that make life worth living. To help yourself feel better, start with these small changes that make a big difference:
- Sleep schedule – Getting enough sleep is important for lowering stress levels and helping you feel less overwhelmed and depressed. You should aim to get no less than 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep a night.
- Reintroduce The Things You Enjoy – If you’ve been avoiding the activities you enjoy, try to reintroduce them. Slowly build a sense of safety in your life.
- Eat a healthy diet – A healthy diet can significantly help your overall health and well-being. It’s also important for managing symptoms of PTSD. Get plenty of omega-3 fatty acids from salmon, sardines, and other cold-water fish. Also, add seeds like chia and flax to your diet for more omega-3s.
- Limit alcohol and caffeine – Caffeine and alcohol are both stimulants that can make symptoms of PTSD worse. Limit the amount of caffeine you consume, and if possible, cut it out completely. Alcohol is not recommended for people with PTSD because it can trigger flashbacks and worsen anxiety.
7. Getting professional help for post-traumatic stress disorder:
In addition to lifestyle modifications, you must seek professional help to manage your post-traumatic stress disorder. A psychologist, psychiatrist, and therapists can help you find the right treatment plan that is appropriate for you.
There are various types of therapy for PTSD that have all been proven effective in providing the ability to recognize, anticipate, take action against, and minimize trauma signs. Different forms of therapy are more effective in teaching you how to deal with PTSD.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Cognitive processing therapy (CPT)
- Stress inoculation training (SIT)
Final Thoughts
Having PTSD is a difficult experience that won’t leave you right away. You will still be coping with the disorder for a period of time. However, with time, you will recover and regain your ability to enjoy life and lead a healthy lifestyle.
Using the above strategies can help you deal with post-traumatic stress disorder, whether it happened in the past or today. It is also advisable that you seek professional help from a licensed mental health professional who can assist in managing your symptoms until they are gone completely. Hanei Health Solutions provides a variety of mental health services, including PTSD treatment. We can help you understand your options and provide the right care. Our main goal is to help people feel better by assisting them to get back on track with their lives. If you like to learn more about our treatment programs or to schedule an appointment, call us today at 443-978-1330.
