What Is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Trauma?
Trauma is an emotional response to an event which is outside of the normal or typical human experience, according to the American Psychological Association. Examples of extreme experiences include, but are not limited to accidents, sexual assault and natural disasters. Responses include difficulty regulating emotions, experiencing flashbacks and physical symptoms. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) does not happen to everyone who has experienced trauma.
You may experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder when you:
- have experienced or witnessed an event in which your life or others’ lives were threatened with death or serious injury
- have felt intense fear, helplessness and horror
- re-experience the event by having intrusive recurrent memories or nightmares
- may feel like you are reliving the event via hallucinations and active flashbacks
- experience distress when exposed to triggers such as sounds, smells, sights which remind you of the event
and when the experiences listed above have caused significant distress impairing social, occupational functioning or other areas of your life.
Common issues arising from PTSD and Trauma may include:
- sleeping difficulties including nightmares
- flashbacks and intrusive memories
- anxiety
- withdrawing from friends, family and activities previously enjoyed
- using alcohol or pain medication to cope with anger and feelings of helplessness.
Any of these combined with physical pain can make life seem unbearable. You may begin to wonder whether emotional recovery is even possible. It is.
- More symptoms of PTSD
- How you can help someone with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Treatment for PTSD and Trauma
Let Annette Poechman help you work through the issues related to your PTSD and Trauma, reduce psychological distress, and find the path back to psychological wellness. Listening. Guiding. Caring.