How to Tackle PTSD Effectively

Most people who’ve experienced a traumatic event may have temporary difficulties in coping with it. But after the initial shock, they can accept, recover, and move on from that unpleasant memory.

However, in certain individuals, the symptoms of anxiety and depression get worse, lasting for months and years, affecting their everyday functioning. This is referred to as Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). With timely diagnosis and medical care, you can get better and recover from PTSD.

What is PTSD?

You may have experienced difficult situations that might have led to the development of a condition called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

PTSD was first diagnosed among war veterans and termed “shell shock.” Today, there are many misconceptions about PTSD, although it’s a commonly-known term among people. Most may mistakenly infer, for instance, that it indicates that the person is “dwelling” on their past. They may even advise the concerned person in pain to adopt toxic positivity, i.e. to “get over it” or “move on.”

What most cannot realize is that experiencing PTSD is neither a choice nor a sign of weakness. We break down PTSD and why those who suffer from it cannot “move on”, and how you can actually help them.

What are the PTSD symptoms?

Each person’s experience of PTSD is unique to them because of each one’s nervous system and their tolerance for stress. Some common PTSD symptoms may include:

• Remembering the negative experiences associated with the trauma.
• Staying away from things that bring up memories of the trauma.
• Loss of interest in activities and life — trouble looking after oneself, maintaining relationships, performing well at academics or job, coping with change, or enjoying leisure time.
• Feeling emotionally numb and cut off from people, and having a bleak, despondent outlook on the future.
• Hyperarousal symptoms such as sleep issues, irritability, hypervigilance, feeling jittery or easily startled, violent outbursts, aggressive, self-destructive, or risky behaviors.
• Frequent mood changes such as feelings of loneliness, isolation, anxiety, depression, betrayal, guilt, trouble with focus and memory, and trust issues.

What are the causes of PTSD?

A person may get PTSD because of a variety of unpleasant or life-threatening circumstances. Some of the common reasons are:

• Serious tragedies
• Chronic illnesses
• Military conflict
• Violent attacks such as sexual abuse, mugging, being kidnapped or taken as a hostage or prisoner, terrorist attack
• News of death or personal loss of close family member or friend
• Natural and fabricated disasters

Not every person who has gone through something terrible will experience PTSD. It’s even tricky to say for sure who would experience PTSD after an adverse occurrence. Some possible determining factors may include an individual’s personality, medical history, support system, life experiences, current stress levels, and the nature and magnitude of the traumatic incident.

What is the diagnosis and treatment for PTSD?

The diagnosis is based on the psychological evaluations of the symptoms. PTSD frequently comes with symptoms of anxiety, depression, and anxiety.

PTSD symptoms can show around 3–12 months after the traumatic incident. You must have symptoms that last for more than a month for a diagnosis of PTSD.

The treatment for PTSD can include:

• Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral treatment, i.e. slowly “exposing” yourself to the emotions and events that might trigger your trauma while also removing any inaccurate and unreasonable thinking patterns about the event.
• Family counseling and therapy can assist your family in helping them understand your trauma better, how it affects you, and how they can help you work through your relationship problems together as a family.
• Sometimes, we prescribe medication to PTSD victims. Although they do not address the underlying symptoms of PTSD, this aids in the relief of secondary symptoms of anxiety and depression.
• We use your eye motions in the EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) method to assist your brain in processing flashbacks and making sense of the traumatic event.

Conclusion

Support from your family and friends is crucial besides the medical interventions. Speak with your best family doctor in Los Gatos or other healthcare providers if you experience extreme anxiety at any point after a traumatic event. They may advise therapy for PTSD if your PTSD symptoms last longer than two weeks.