Happy PTSD Awareness Month

June is PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) Awareness Month. PTSD is a mental health condition that arises from a being a part of, and even sometimes witnessing, a terrifying situation. People with PTSD may be experiencing flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety, and thoughts that are hard or impossible to control about the event. Although PTSD is treatable, PTSD varies in intensity from person to person. If one is experiencing PTSD symptoms, it is important for that person to seek help.

Symptoms
It’s important to note that PTSD may not begin immediately after the event. It may take a month to begin, and in some cases, PTSD will not begin until years after the event. Symptoms have the ability to cause problems in ones work and social life, and cause problems in personal relationships.

PTSD has four major symptom categories: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, and changes in physical and emotional reactions.

Intrusive memories:
Intrusive memories are defined by the Mayo Clinic as:

“Recurrent, unwanted distressing memories of the traumatic event,
Reliving the traumatic event as if it were happening again (flashbacks),
Upsetting dreams or nightmares about the traumatic event,
Severe emotional distress or physical reactions to something that reminds you of the traumatic event”

Intrusive memories can be scary to individuals and can quickly alters somebodies mood.

Avoidance:
According to the Mayo Clinic avoidance systems are:

“Trying to avoid thinking or talking about the traumatic event,
Avoiding places, activities or people that remind you of the traumatic event”

Although these symptoms may seem less severe, they still have the ability to change how one person operates in their day-to-day life.

Negative changes in thinking and mood:
The Mayo Clinic describes these symptoms as:

“Negative thoughts about yourself, other people or the world,
Hopelessness about the future,
Memory problems, including not remembering important aspects of the traumatic event,
Difficulty maintaining close relationships,
Feeling detached from family and friends,
Lack of interest in activities you once enjoyed,
Difficulty experiencing positive emotions,
Feeling emotionally numb”

PTSD can drastically change the way an individual thinks and operates.

Changes in physical and emotional reactions
These symptoms are also known as “arousal symptoms” and are defined by the Mayo Clinic as,

“Being easily startled or frightened,
Always being on guard for danger,
Self-destructive behavior, such as drinking too much or driving too fast,
Trouble sleeping,
Trouble concentrating,
Irritability, angry outbursts or aggressive behavior,
Overwhelming guilt or shame”

Children can also endure PTSD, and some symptoms may include:

“Re-enacting the traumatic event or aspects of the traumatic event through play,
Frightening dreams that may or may not include aspects of the traumatic event”

PTSD does not look the same from case to case. Some people may experience only a few of these symptoms, some may experience many more. For example, a war veteran might experience symptoms after hearing loud bangs, or a car exhaust the backfires. Even experiencing a topic that reminds you of a traumatic event can kick start symptoms.

If you are experiencing symptoms, it is important to go see a doctor if your symptoms are getting too difficult to control. Talking to a doctor or mental health specialist might be a big step in the recovery process.