What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

Post-traumatic stress disorder, commonly referred to using the acronym PTSD, is a disorder that occurs in some persons who had had exposure to a traumatic event, either by witnessing it or by experiencing it themselves.  Such events can include natural disasters, really bad accidents, death threat, or sexual violence among others. PTSD also goes by several other names, including “shell shock”, a term used during the war. The condition is used a lot with veterans, however, PTSD affects all people, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, culture, age or sex.

Symptoms of PTSD

Symptoms of PTSD can start as early as one month after the traumatic event and in some cases, they do not appear until years after. In many instances, these symptoms can interfere with one’s work, social interactions and relationships. They can also interfere with a person’s ability to conduct their daily tasks normally. PTSD generally falls under four main classifications - intrusive memories, avoidance, negative thinking and mood changes and changes in one’s physical and emotional reactions.

1. Intrusive memories

Intrusive memory symptoms may include the following:

• Recurrence of unwanted and distressing memories of a given traumatic event

• Reliving or flashbacks of traumatic events as though they were happening again.

• Nightmares and upsetting dreams concerning a past traumatic event

• Severe emotional distress and/or severe physical reactions to things that remind one of a past traumatic event.

2. Avoidance

Symptoms of avoidance include among others, the following:

• Deliberate attempt to avoid thinking and/or talking about a past traumatic event

• Avoiding people, activities, and those places that remind one of a traumatic experience

3. Negative thinking and mood changes

These symptoms can include the following

• Negative self-thoughts about others or toward the world generally

• No hope in the future

• Memory problems, including forgetting critical aspects of a past traumatic event

• Feelings of detachment from family as well as friends

• Difficulty in terms of maintaining close associations and relationships

• Loss of interest in things and in those activities that you previously liked to participate in

• Emotional numbness

4. Changes in physical and emotional reactions

Arousal symptoms or simply symptoms of changes in physical and emotional reactions include the following:

• Being easily frightened or startled

• Behavior that is self-destructive, including drinking too much alcohol, driving very fast

• Having trouble sleeping

• Having trouble concentrating

• Easy irritated, prone to angry outbursts and/or aggressive behavior

• Overwhelming shame or guilt

Intensity of symptoms

The intensity of PTSD symptoms varies in intensity over time. Stress can also escalate the symptoms, and trauma reminders can cause the symptoms to flare up. For example, if you suffered from a sexually related trauma, a news report about a sex assault brings back your memories to the point that they overwhelm you.

Causes of PTSD

You can develop PTSD if you experience a traumatic event physically, mentally or emotionally, including sexual assault, war, a disaster, etc. The exact cause of PTSD is not clear among doctors and medical practitioners. However, like other mental problems, a mix of factors probably cause PTSD, including among others:

• Stressful experiences, including the extent and severity of the trauma one has gone through

• Health risks that you inherit, including family history of depression and anxiety

• Inherited personality features — referred to as one’s temperament

• Ways in which one’s brain regulates hormones and chemicals that the body releases when it responds to stress

Risk factors for PTSD

There a number of risk factors for PTSD. Overall, all people, regardless of age, sex or ethnicity can suffer from PTSD. Nevertheless, some factors may make one person more likely than another to develop PTSD following a traumatic event. Such factors include:

• Experience of earlier trauma in life, for example childhood abuse, either physical or sexual, etc.

• Working a job that comes with increased risk of exposure to traumatic events, for example working in the military

• Presence of other mental disorders or mental/psychological health problems, including depression and anxiety.

• Abuse of drugs and toxic substances, including drinking a lot, smoking or using drugs.

• Having no friend or family support system

• Family history of relatives having mental health illnesses, including depression and anxiety.

Complications

PTSD can lead to the disruption of your life in every social, mental and physical health aspect. This can include your intimate and professional relationships, jobs and overall health. PTSD generally predisposes you to greater risks of mental health problems, including:

• Eating disorders

• Suicidal actions and thoughts

• Anxiety and depression

• Alcohol and drug use abuse

• Eating disorders

• Suicidal thoughts and actions

Prevention and conclusion

Upon surviving a traumatic event, a number of people get PTSD-like symptoms thereafter. For example, thoughts about what happened to them remain in their mind. Common reactions to trauma include guilt, fear, anxiety, and depression, etc. Fortunately, most people exposed to trauma do not develop long-term PTSD.

In the event of normal stress reactions to a traumatic event, one should get timely support. This will help to prevent the stress from worsening and eventually leading to PTSD. So it is wise to open up to a friend, family or work colleague, depending on the one you are more comfortable confiding in. it may also be wise to seek mental health support from a professional. Other people may also turn to their faith community. Such support is key to regaining your composure and reducing stress. In the same vein, support from other people ensures that you do not turn to or adopt unhealthy coping methods, such as drug use or alcohol misuse.