What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
Life events and any type of trauma have an inevitable impact on our emotions and mental health. For some people the result may be limited to some short-lived distress which resolves spontaneously, but for others the impact can be severe and long lasting. Psychiatrists and other mental health professionals always need to ask themselves “What has happened to this person?” rather than “What is wrong with them?” and always consider the possibility of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
What causes PTSD?
Any acute traumatic experience such as a physical assault or road traffic accident can result in PTSD, but in can also be caused by medical interventions, childbirth and other out of the ordinary experiences. There is increasing recognition that it is also caused by recurrent trauma such as child abuse and domestic violence.
What are the symptoms of PTSD?
Re-experiencing the trauma – this can take the form of flashbacks, intrusive memories and nightmares all of which are accompanied with extreme emotional distress. These symptoms may be experienced for a long time after the traumatic event.
Avoidance – trying to avoid anything that might trigger memories of the original trauma can result in avoiding going to certain places, avoidance of certain people and not talking about the trauma.
Arousal/reactivity symptoms – frequently people will experience a constant state of hyper arousal, anxiety and fear or at times feel a lack of emotions and a state of numbness.
What is complex PTSD (c-PTSD)?
Complex PTSD is a condition associated with prolonged and repetitive trauma, often in childhood. Alongside the features of PTSD described above people struggle with a lack of emotional regulation, find it difficult to trust others and describe feelings of shame, guilt and worthlessness.
How is PTSD diagnosed?
There is no definite test for PTSD and the diagnosis is obtained by a full history of a person’s trauma and evaluation of their current mental health.
How is PTSD treated?
Specialist psychological therapy is the main way to treat all forms of PTSD and is very effective for most people. Although psychiatric medication may be helpful in the short term it is rarely effective unless combined with therapy.
Can you recover from PTSD?
Fortunately for most people if they receive appropriate treatment, are no longer exposed to trauma and are in a position to help themselves with coping strategies (such as relaxation techniques, having supportive friends, avoiding drugs and alcohol and spending time in nature) the prognosis is good.
If you have concerns about an acute traumatic experience and would like to find out how one of our psychiatrists can assist, please contact The Soke’s Client Services Team.