Most people experience some of the symptoms of PTSD after any stressful event that is perceived as traumatic, including such things as:
- Childbirth
- A road accident
- Sudden bereavement
- A bad fall
- Burglary
- Mugging
- Witnessing fatality
However in most cases the symptoms disappear in the days and the weeks following exposure.
There is no single set of symptoms in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, though the most typical is obsessive in nature and often consists of 'replaying' the event over and again in the mind, even though the end result is always the same. It may be that the subconscious is seeking to either (a) find a better ending; or (b) assuage guilt in some way.
Symptoms of PTSD can include:
- flashbacks, nightmares, or frightening thoughts, especially when exposed to anything reminiscent of the traumatic event,
- sweating and shaking,
- avoidance of reminders of the event and a refusal to discuss the experience,
- numbness and feelings of estrangement or detachment from others,
- inability to remember aspects of the traumatic event,
- decreased interest in life,
- increased consciousness of one’s own mortality,
- avoidance of reminders of the event and a refusal to discuss the experience,
- flight/fight syndrome,
- problems with concentration,
- problems with sleeping,
- irritability or outbursts of anger,
- hyper- vigilance and alertness to possible danger,
- increased startle reaction re-experiencing the traumatic event,
- feelings of guilt,
- long term behavioural effects,
- alcohol abuse,
- drug dependency,
- failed relationships/divorce,
- severe depression, anxiety disorders or phobias,
- chronic illness- Headaches, stomach upsets, dizziness, chest pain and general aches and pains, together with a weakened immune system, and employment problems.
Just about the only thing in common with all cases is an awareness that a certain event had a profound effect upon the psyche; it is not unusual for an individual to report that he or she felt something 'click' in the mind. It doesn't matter that others might not be able to understand why the event should have this effect - it is the mind of the sufferer which has been affected, not theirs.
PTSD often involves periods of symptom remission followed by an increase of symptoms. However some people will experience severe and unremitting symptoms.
Treatment
The important thing here is to recognise that you do not have to 'just put up with it' - treatment for post traumatic stress disorder can be astonishingly effective. A combination of telephone work and face-to face sessions can work quite well and can sometimes produce a resolution of the problem in very few sessions. If it has been present for some time (more than a year), then face-to-face therapy will almost certainly be required.
Sometimes, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) may be needed.
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