Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - by Johan Obbes

“Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a disease just like cancer, diabetes, or many other medical problems and disorders. PTSD is an anxiety disorder which is triggered after exposure to an intensely terrifying event”

What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

The disorder occurs when a person experience such an overload of horror that the only way for them to survive this trauma is for their cognitive and emotional behaviour to separate. When in danger, it’s natural to feel afraid. This fear, triggers many split-second changes, in the body to prepare one to defend against the danger or to avoid it. This “fight-or-flight” response is a healthy reaction meant to protect a person from harm. But in PTSD, this reaction is changed or damaged and the sufferer might even feel that the trauma has not ended yet, but is still continuing with every trigger. PTSD can sometimes last for up to 40 years or more, if the person have not received appropriate treatment and therapy. Some war veterans still suffer from PTSD, but as it is not correctly diagnosed it is more commonly referred to as “shell shock”.

Traumas can be various and examples of the most obvious ones are; living through or experiencing a violent crime, being raped, attacked, taking part in a war, surviving a natural disaster, physical or sexual abuse, surviving an accident (car, train, plane) etc.

We also find traumas which are continuous, long term or subtle where sufferers are trapped in horrifying circumstances for years, being traumatized every day, like domestic violence or severe bullying at school. Some sufferers don’t even know that they are being traumatized as they might not be aware of the trauma or even remember what has happened. These traumas are experienced more often when growing up or by being in an abusive relationship, yet these examples are not exclusive but only an indication. These traumas could be abuse (all forms of abuse), emotional neglect or even an intense, continuous mocking & teasing at school. People react differently to different situations, but regardless of the trauma the damage to the sufferer is real and the intensity of the symptoms vary from person to person.

Most people with PTSD go through intense suffering due to a huge part of society not understanding it. Sometimes the symptoms begin immediately after the event, but as each person is different the symptoms can sometimes be experienced weeks, months or even years after the event. When they do finally occur, it is usually in response to or have been triggered by a series of stressful events or losses. This causes the sufferer to experience the traumatic event over and over again. – READ THE PERSONAL STORY OF LISA KELVER ON OUR WEBSITE at http://www.philippitrust.co.za/counselling_success_stories.php

Most common symptoms of PTSD can include:

1. Re-experiencing symptoms:

• Flashbacks—reliving the trauma over and over, including physical symptoms like a racing heart or sweating (these flashbacks are so real that the person feel as if they are right back in the trauma as if it is happening right now)
• Bad dreams
• Frightening thoughts.

Re-experiencing symptoms may cause problems in a person’s everyday routine. They can start from the person’s own thoughts and feelings. Words, objects, or situations that are reminders of the event can also trigger re-experiencing. This is extremely shameful to the sufferer as they cannot control the triggers and usually experience it as intense as if they were back in the moment of the trauma being inflicted.

2. Avoidance symptoms:

• Staying away from places, events, or objects that are reminders of the experience
• Feeling emotionally numb
• Feeling strong guilt, depression, or worry
• Losing interest in activities that were enjoyable in the past
• Having trouble remembering the dangerous event.
• Memory lapses in everyday life
• Delayed responses after being asked a question

Things that remind a person of the traumatic event can trigger avoidance symptoms. These symptoms may cause a person to change his or her personal routine. For example, after a bad car accident, a person who usually drives may avoid driving or riding in a car.

3. Hyper arousal symptoms:

• Being easily startled
• Feeling tense or “on edge”
• Having difficulty sleeping, and/or having angry outbursts.

Hyper arousal symptoms are usually constant, instead of being triggered by things that remind one of the traumatic event. They can make the person feel stressed and angry. These symptoms may make it very hard to do daily tasks, such as sleeping, or concentrating.

The main treatments for people with PTSD are psychotherapy (“talk” therapy), medications, or both

Recovery from PTSD

Recovery from PTSD is a long process and should not be rushed at all. The sufferer might experience intense feelings of shame as the triggers and symptoms are uncontrollable, and extremely traumatic. Although each person experience the healing process differently, one can closely compare the process to that of the healing process of abuse.

Abuse can be considered as a process having four overlapping stages.

First there is the impact stage. It lasts for a few hours to several days and is characterized by shock, disbelief, anxiety, and fear. Often victims are confused about whether to report the abuse and frequently there is fear that the abuse may recur. Sometimes the impact is made worse because the abuse victim feels overwhelmed by too many professionals or police officers asking questions.

Stage two involves denial. In order to cope with the stress, the victim tries to push aside the trauma of abuse and return to a pre-crisis stage of functioning. Victims at this time need to feel secure, organized and in control. To others, and even to the victims themselves, it may appear that everything has returned to normal, but the hurt is still present and will need to be dealt with before complete healing occurs. The denial stage may be over within a few days, although for some it lasts for years.

Stage three, the process stage, begins when the experience of assault can no longer be suppressed. Often some crises event of emotional distress may trigger the old feelings and the victim is flooded with anxiety, depression, nightmares, flashbacks, and constant thinking about the assault. This is a period when the victim needs to talk, to express feelings, to struggle with guilt and anger, and to feel counsellor support.

The final stage of integration comes as the individual begins to feel no longer controlled or dominated by the effects of the abuse.

Article was written by Johan Obbes. For more information on PTSD please refer to http://www.sahealthinfo.org/mentalhealth/aboutptsd.htm or find out more from one of the excellent books from Recovery Books at http://www.recoverybooks.co.za