Causes Symptoms And Risks
PTSD is caused by experiencing or witnessing single, repeated or multiple events. For example:
- serious accidents
- physical and sexual assault abuse. This could include childhood or domestic abuse
- work-related exposure to trauma. Such as being in the army
- trauma related to serious health problems or childbirth
- war and conflict torture
Not everyone who experiences trauma will develop PTSD.
The risk of getting PTSD depends on how the experience affects you. PTSD is more likely to develop if the traumatic event:
- is unexpected,
- Self help
How can the NHS help me?
You can speak to your GP about your concerns. They will be able to talk to you about treatment options and coping strategies. You dont have to do what your GP thinks that you should do. But you should listen to them.
Make sure that you understand the pros and cons of your treatment options before you make a decision.
Your treatment with be managed by your GP or the community mental health team . In some cases, your treatment maybe shared between both primary and secondary care. Healthcare professionals will agree who will monitor you.
Some people will get care under the Care Programme Approach . This means that you will have a care plan and care coordinator to make sure that you get the support that you need.
Look at the following section for more information on NHS treatment.
Adult social services
What other help is available?
There may be a different service available, such as employment or isolation support.
Ptsd And Trauma Treatment In Tennessee
At Cumberland Heights, weve been changing lives since 1966. We understand the connection between trauma, mental illness and addiction. It is our mission to help people to fully recover for life thats why weve created a curriculum rooted in proven, evidence-based modalities. Contact us for more information about our approach to trauma treatment.
Avoidance And Emotional Numbing
Trying to avoid being reminded of the traumatic event is another key symptom of PTSD.
This usually means avoiding certain people or places that remind you of the trauma, or avoiding talking to anyone about your experience.
Many people with PTSD try to push memories of the event out of their mind, often distracting themselves with work or hobbies.
Some people attempt to deal with their feelings by trying not to feel anything at all. This is known as emotional numbing.
This can lead to the person becoming isolated and withdrawn, and they may also give up pursuing activities they used to enjoy.
Recommended Reading: What Is A Phobia Of Spoons Called
Tip : Reach Out To Others For Support
PTSD can make you feel disconnected from others. You may be tempted to withdraw from social activities and your loved ones. But its important to stay connected to life and the people who care about you. You dont have to talk about the trauma if you dont want to, but the caring support and companionship of others is vital to your recovery. Reach out to someone you can connect with for an uninterrupted period of time, someone who will listen when you want to talk without judging, criticizing, or continually getting distracted. That person may be your significant other, a family member, a friend, or a professional therapist. Or you could try:
Volunteering your time or reaching out to a friend in need. This is not only a great way to connect to others, but can also help you reclaim your sense of control.
Joining a PTSD support group. This can help you feel less isolated and alone and also provide invaluable information on how to cope with symptoms and work towards recovery.
Who Diagnoses Ptsd And What Does Getting Diagnosed Involve
Mental health professionals like psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers are all qualified to make the diagnosis of PTSD, says Thomas D. Harpley, PhD, a clinical psychologist in San Diego, California. A primary care provider also can make the diagnosis, he says. Who makes the diagnosis may depend on your insurance, Harpley says. If you need a referral to see a specialist, you may see your PCP first and then get referred to a mental health professional.
PTSD may be diagnosed with an interview that assesses various criteria, Harpley explains. There are also psychological tests for PTSD that can help make the diagnosis, but it would be highly improper to reach a diagnosis based solely upon psychological test results, he says.
Read Also: Phobia Def
Online Counseling Helps Ptsd
An excellent option for treating PTSD is online counseling. Many people with the condition have anxiety. It can be hard to get to a local therapists office when you live with chronic panic attacks. When you see an online counselor to treat PTSD, youre in the privacy of your home or wherever you feel comfortable receiving therapy. You deserve the chance to get treatment on your terms in a way where you can get well. You can choose an online counselor who specializes in treating survivors of trauma. Theyll understand your symptoms and help you learn coping techniques. You can tell them what youd like to work on, and theyll develop a way for you to gain the skills you need to live a good quality of life. PTSD is a real condition, and it can be severe. But there are treatment options to help you live a great life.
Although the above articles are not intended to be the only or primary source of information to help you better understand post-traumatic stress disorder, hopefully, some of what has been mentioned will help you better understand it. If you would like to speak to one of our online counselors about your PTSD concerns, or any questions about what you’ve read, feel free to sign-up today.
Flashbacks Take You Right Back To The Pain
It happens right when you least expect it.
You could be on the bus, sat in a coffee shop, just about to drift off to sleep and suddenly your mind is playing you a movie.
Your own personal horror movie.
And it feels like youve been strapped to the seat, unable to move, forced to watch the scenes that hurt you the most replaying over and over.
But youre meant to continue with what youre doing like nothing is wrong.
Don’t Miss: Does Celine Dion Have An Eating Disorder
When Was Ptsd First Diagnosed
The term post-traumatic stress disorder first made an appearance in 1980 in the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , which is published by the American Psychiatric Association. Since then, PTSD has become a household name.2
Even before 1980, though, mental health care professionals recognized the symptoms of PTSD as a particular disorder. There were different names for it during World War 1 and World War 2, says Thomas D. Harpley, PhD, a clinical psychologist in San Diego, California. Back then, a person who had the symptom of PTSD, who typically was a soldier who had seen combat, may have been called shell-shocked.
Mental Illness And Ptsd
Traumatic life events are common among people living with severe mental illnesses. There has been growing awareness in recent years about trauma and how it shapes peoples lives. PTSD plays a crucial role in the adverse effects on mental illnesses and can exacerbate these mental illnesses. While the evidence shows that PTSD can make schizophrenia worse, other evidence suggests it can also impact other diseases like bipolar disorder and depression. With high rates of trauma across these disorders, it is essential to realize PTSDs impact on these illnesses.
You May Like: Meaning Of Phobia
Ptsd Treatment And Therapy
Treatment for PTSD can relieve symptoms by helping you deal with the trauma youve experienced. A doctor or therapist will encourage you to recall and process the emotions you felt during the original event in order to reduce the powerful hold the memory has on your life.
During treatment, youll also explore your thoughts and feelings about the trauma, work through feelings of guilt and mistrust, learn how to cope with intrusive memories, and address the problems PTSD has caused in your life and relationships.
The types of treatment available for PTSD include:
Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy involves gradually exposing yourself to feelings and situations that remind you of the trauma, and replacing distorted and irrational thoughts about the experience with a more balanced picture.
Family therapy can help your loved ones understand what youre going through and help you work through relationship problems together as a family.
Medication is sometimes prescribed to people with PTSD to relieve secondary symptoms of depression or anxiety, although they do not treat the causes of PTSD.
EMDR incorporates elements of cognitive-behavioral therapy with eye movements or other forms of rhythmic, left-right stimulation, such as hand taps or sounds. These techniques work by unfreezing the brains information processing system, which is interrupted in times of extreme stress.
When To See A Doctor
Many people experience symptoms after a traumatic event, such as crying, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating, but this is not necessarily PTSD.
Prompt treatment with a qualified professional can help prevent the symptoms from getting worse.
This should be considered if:
- symptoms persist for more than a month
- symptoms are severe enough to prevent the person returning to normal life
- the person considers harming themselves
Treatment usually involves psychotherapy and counseling, medication, or a combination.
Options for psychotherapy will be specially tailored for managing trauma.
They include:
Cognitive processing therapy : Also known as cognitive restructuring, the individual learns how to think about things in a new way. Mental imagery of the traumatic event may help them work through the trauma, to gain control of the fear and distress.
Exposure therapy: Talking repeatedly about the event or confronting the cause of the fear in a safe and controlled environment may help the person feel they have more control over their thoughts and feelings. The effectiveness of this treatment has been questioned, however, and it must be carried out with care, or there may be a risk of worsening of the symptoms.
You May Like: Does Pristiq Help With Anxiety
You Choose What To Disclose
What to disclose is completely up to you. Give the person enough information to understand the diagnosis and make sure to let them know how they can help.
You do not need to tell your loved ones everything. For example, you do not need to disclose specific information about your traumatic event.
If someone asks you an uncomfortable question that you do not want to answer, it is perfectly OK to simply say, Im sorry, but I am not ready to talk about that yet.
Prepare beforehand by coming up with some things you can say if someone asks you a question you do not want to answer.
Where Can I Find Support
Having an under-recognized condition like CPTSD can be isolating. If you feel like you need some extra support, the National Center for PTSD has several resources, including a PTSD coaching app for your phone. While many of these resources are geared toward people with PTSD, you may still find them helpful for many of your symptoms.
The nonprofit organization Out of the Storm also has many online resources, including a forum, information sheets, and book recommendations, specifically for CPTSD.
Don’t Miss: Can You Be Bipolar And Have Bpd
How Is Ptsd Diagnosed
A psychiatrist will diagnose PTSD through a mental health assessment. Your GP should carry out an initial assessment to decide what care you need. Your assessment should include information about:
- your physical needs,
- your social needs, and
- risk.
As part of the assessment they will decide if you need to be referred to the community mental health team . You should be referred to the CMHT if you have had symptoms for more than 4 weeks. Or your symptoms are very bad. A CMHT is part of the NHS. They are a team of mental health professionals.
Doctors use the following manuals to help to diagnose you:
- International Classification of Diseases produced by the World Health Organisation , and
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual produced by the American Psychiatric Association.
The manuals are guides which explain different mental health conditions.
Emotional Numbing Is Second Nature
Shutting yourself away from people, places, memories and sometimes emotions is sometimes the only way you can cope.
There could be certain areas you never go to or people youll never speak to again because going back means returning to a place of pain thats so incapacitating its beyond comprehension.
You May Like: What Is The Meaning Of Phobia
Next Steps For Ptsd Research
In the last decade, progress in research on the mental and biological foundations of PTSD has lead scientists to focus on better understanding the underlying causes of why people experience a range of reactions to trauma.
- NIMH-funded researchers are exploring trauma patients in acute care settings to better understand the changes that occur in individuals whose symptoms improve naturally.
- Other research is looking at how fear memories are affected by learning, changes in the body, or even sleep.
- Research on preventing the development of PTSD soon after trauma exposure is also under way.
- Other research is attempting to identify what factors determine whether someone with PTSD will respond well to one type of intervention or another, aiming to develop more personalized, effective, and efficient treatments.
- As gene research and brain imaging technologies continue to improve, scientists are more likely to be able to pinpoint when and where in the brain PTSD begins. This understanding may then lead to better targeted treatments to suit each persons own needs or even prevent the disorder before it causes harm.
Find The Best Treatment For You
Today, there are several treatment options for PTSD. For some people, these treatments can get rid of symptoms altogether. Others find they have fewer symptoms or feel that their symptoms are less intense.
You can learn about the best PTSD treatment options using our PTSD Treatment Decision Aid. It includes videos to explain how effective treatments work.
You can also build a chart to compare the treatments and choose which options you prefer. Both psychotherapies and medications are included in the decision aid.
Don’t Miss: What Is The Meaning Of Phobia
Overwhelmed How Do I Tell My Therapist At What Point Do You Know You Need To Admit Yourself To A Hospital
LittleBigFoot
MyPTSD Pro
Sues
Confident
LittleBigFoot said:Im so exhausted and I know a lot of this has to do with what we are working on in therapy and the fact Im also having weekly dietitian appointments which just seem like so much and Im drowning
LittleBigFoot said:How do I tell my therapist Im overwhelmed? Im on the verge of losing everything, I have roughly 2 more chances to make my attendance at work better and then Im fired. I want to stay here, Ive got good insurance to work on everything. But Im so overwhelmed all I want to do is call in. Going in to work means having a panic attack first and a whole mental process of convincing myself to do it and stay the whole day. Im so exhausted and I know a lot of this has to do with what we are working on in therapy and the fact Im also having weekly dietitian appointments which just seem like so much and Im drowning and I dont know what to do except to self sabotage and quit work, therapy, all of it and just work doordash to pay necessary bills and nothing more.Im lost and anxiety is at such an all time high. I would also lose my medication if I quit cause no insurance but f*ck I dont feel like its helping anyway.
Confide In Someone Ptsd Treatment
Lots of people who experience PTSD find it hard to open up to others. This may be because you feel unable to talk about what has happened to you. However, you dont need to be able to describe the trauma to tell someone how you are currently feeling. PTSD Treatment PTSD Treatment PTSD Treatment PTSD Treatment
Don’t Miss: Does Pristiq Help With Anxiety
What To Do When Someone With Ptsd Pushes You Away
You let them be on their own.
Keep your calm and come back later to discuss the issue with them.
However, at the end of the day, also remember to not remain in a toxic situation if things cant be helped.
You deserve to be in a healthy environment, so take active steps to enable that.
Lastly, building a relationship takes emotional maturity and trust in equal parts.
PTSD from past relationships or traumatic experiences can ruin both. Thats exactly why it has to be addressed on time to foster healthy situations in the future.
Ptsd Risk Factors From Military Service
PTSD symptoms usually begin after a traumatic event, but they can appear much later than the actual event. Causes of PTSD in Veterans can vary. In research published in Clinical Psychological Science, researchers defined three areas of concern in the development of PTSD severity of combat exposure , pre-war vulnerabilities , and involvement in harming civilians or prisoners.13
PTSD isnt military-specific, but the problem is focused on war Veterans. These Veterans are at higher risk of suffering PTSD and face barriers in getting treatment, including stigma and discharge from the military.
Read Also: Phobia Mean
Fears That Lead To Avoiding Sleep And Public Places
Avoiding places or people due to your fears is a sign of PTSD. For example, avoiding crowds or places that are noisy is a sign that you associate these places with the traumatic event that brought on the PTSD symptoms. Any environment that resembles the place that the initial trauma took place can trigger severe feelings of anxiety, fear, aggression, panic, sadness, or anger in the person who is experiencing PTSD.
Insomnia is also a sign of those with PTSD because they are avoiding sleep for fear of having dreams or memories of the trauma that might intrude in their mind as they start to drift off to sleep. Sleep is normally a time for our brains to process information received during the day and form memories, but often people with PTSD experience violent or frightening dreams so they fear sleep.