Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - Causes and Symptoms
What is PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, describes a
set of symptoms that develop following an individual's exposure to one or more
traumatic events.
The key signs are the repeated, intrusive memories of
these traumatic incidents and heightened anxiety about trauma-related stimuli.
Post-traumatic stress disorder is characterized by heightened arousal in
response to ordinary situations that normally do not cause distress or
significant reactions.
This can be generalized anxiety or increased startle
reactions in response to witnessing violence. Symptoms may be triggered by
witnessing triggers related to the triggering event such as sounds, smells,
places, and objects associated with harm and reexperiencing the trauma through
intrusive thoughts and feelings.
What Causes PTSD?
Research has shown that there are several pathways to
develop PTSD. One can be directly exposed to a traumatic event. Another is the
direct witnessing of the traumatic event by another person. Still another way
is witnessing an event that indirectly involves the victim of the trauma, which
may result in witnessing someone being harmed or dying during a public attack.
A fourth route is being directly exposed to something
that symbolizes or represents the triggering event, such as an object or
location that reminds you of your trauma. Finally, many people develop symptoms
after having witnessed traumatic events without ever being directly involved in
them themselves.
Trauma and PTSD: What Do We Know?
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a normal reaction
to an abnormal situation. It may be transitory or persistent. It can come on
suddenly or develop slowly over time. It may be associated with significant
distress or only mild impairment in functioning.
At times it can be seen in children before adolescence,
in adolescents, and adults of all ages. The onset of the symptoms of
post-traumatic stress disorder may be delayed by weeks, months, or years
following the traumatic event.
There are many reasons why people do not develop post-traumatic stress disorder after experiencing a traumatic event, even when exposed to serious injury or death in others around them. The most common of these are the following:
- After an initial trauma, many people feel intense distress or intense fear for a short time. This is normal, not unusual. It is known as the Danger Response and it is part of the body's response to intense danger.
- For about 24 hours after experiencing a significant traumatic event, some people feel intense fear without being physically harmed by the event. This is seen in traumatized individuals who are not directly involved in the traumatic incident but who were close enough to witness it physically or hear about it from someone present.
- The Danger Response helps prepare us for danger, getting ready for action to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and others around us from harm.
What Are The Symptoms Of PTSD?
The symptoms of PTSD occur in three areas: the
reexperiencing of the trauma through intrusive recollections, mental images,
nightmares, and memories; avoidance behaviors that prevent you from thinking
about or confronting reminders of the trauma; and increased arousal that
affects your physiological responses to ordinary situations.
Reexperiencing Symptoms
Intrusive recollections, mental images, nightmares.
These are spontaneous memories of the traumatic event replayed in your mind.
They may appear unexpectedly and can happen at any time during the day or
night.
Psychological symptoms. This means that you have changed
from being a strong, capable person to a broken person with intense feelings of
intense distress and sadness.
You may have a decreased interest in activities you
used to enjoy, feel detached or distant from the people you used to depend on,
and have little mental energy. You may have trouble concentrating on your work
or tend to express your feelings in ways that are not proper.
Mental health symptoms. These are changes in thinking
or mood that can be intangible or obvious, but they hurt very much. You may
feel afraid, anxious, hopeless, depressed, guilty, irritable, isolated, or
helpless.
You may have feelings of wanting to hurt or kill
yourself or someone else. You may have trouble sleeping at night. If you are
already taking medicine for another illness, these symptoms can make you feel
worse.
Avoidance Symptoms
A disturbance in the natural flow of emotions after a
traumatic experience is the normal human response to danger. Experiencing
personal distress in the presence of triggers for memories of the trauma is
also normal because it helps you avoid reminders of the trauma that could
further harm your emotional and behavioural functioning.
Frequently Asked Questions on PTSD
Do The Symptoms Of PTSD And Depression Occur Together?
Sometimes. PTSD can make you feel hopeless, helpless,
or even suicidal. The symptoms of PTSD are the most common reasons for suicide
in war veterans. Post-traumatic stress disorder can become complicated by
depression, which may develop immediately after the traumatic incident, or
later on.
When people are depressed they often have trouble
performing their normal routines and regular responsibilities. They may
withdraw from family and friends who could otherwise be supportive during this
difficult time, feeling that they cannot impose on loved ones to take care of
them.
