PTSD Help: Causes and Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Daily, there are shocking occurrences happening all around us. We read about them on the news, or as stories that friends, neighbors, or other loved ones share in person or on social media. At times, we ourselves might be witnesses of such events. If these events are frightening, or if there is a real threat of harm involved in them, they could result in trauma leading to PTSD, at which point PTSD help would be in order.

Trauma is a person’s emotional response to shocking or frightening events. That response might initially be numbness or a sense of being overwhelmed. Over time, a person can work through the emotions and thoughts associated with the event, finding healing and a sense of peace. However, if the symptoms of trauma linger and perhaps intensify over time, it may be post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Causes of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

PTSD is the mental health condition that results when a person sees, experiences, or hears about a traumatic event. A traumatic event can be anything from going through a serious and life-threatening illness, a difficult childbirth experience, being threatened with a weapon, a car accident, or the death of a loved one. Likewise, it can include a natural disaster, kidnapping, sexual assault, being in a combat zone, or being a victim of terrorist activity.

It is not known for certain what causes PTSD, because two people may experience a similar or the same traumatic event, and one person may develop PTSD, while the other does not. A person may be at greater risk of developing PTSD as a result of the severity of the traumatic experience.

Other factors that may play a role in causing PTSD include your genetics and the prevalence of mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety in your family tree. Your own neurochemistry and the ability of your brain to process stress and stressful events will also feature. Similarly, your personality or temperament will impact on whether PTSD develops after a traumatic experience.

Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

When a person experiences a traumatic event, it’s bound to have an effect on their emotional and mental well-being. The signs of PTSD can be grouped into four types of symptoms, and these include having intrusive thoughts about the trauma, avoiding the trauma, negative feelings and thoughts, and feeling irritable or nervous.

The symptoms of PTSD include the following:

Intrusive thoughts

You may experience flashbacks or nightmares about the trauma. These unwanted and distressing memories may leave you reliving the traumatic experience as though it were happening all over again. You may also find yourself experiencing distress or severe physical reactions to things that remind you of the traumatic event.

Avoiding the trauma

A person with PTSD may find themselves staying away from situations, places, people, or activities that are associated with the trauma or that remind them of it. They may even find themselves trying to avoid thinking about the traumatic event.

Increased negative thoughts and feelings

A person might experience problems with their memory about the traumatic event. Changes in thinking and mood can occur. These changes include increased negative thoughts and feelings about themselves and the world, as well as feeling anger, guilt, blame or shame. Their enjoyment of life and cherished activities may diminish.

Feeling irritable or nervous

A person with PTSD may find their physical and emotional reactions to situations change over time. They may become more nervous, always on guard for danger, being easily irritated or angered.

The symptoms of PTSD may start within three months of the traumatic event occurring, and they last longer than a month. They can vary in their intensity over time, and this may be dependent on what else is going on in your life. If you encounter a reminder of the trauma, like a news report, or if it’s the same time of year or place where the trauma occurred, that might intensify the symptoms you experience.

Finding PTSD Help

PTSD can affect you and how you function in everyday situations, such as at work or your personal relationships. If you’re experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings for more than a month, you should talk to someone about it. Your doctor or a mental health professional can work with you and get you PTSD help so that you can get your life back under control.

If you find yourself having suicidal thoughts, get help right away. Speak to a loved one about what you’re thinking or reach out to your pastor or spiritual leader. You can also contact a suicide hotline, a local emergency number, or call 911 right away if you think you might attempt suicide or otherwise hurt yourself. With treatment such as psychotherapy (talk therapy) and medication as appropriate, you can cope with PTSD and regain your life.

Getting the appropriate treatment as soon as possible can help bring your PTSD symptoms under control and prevent them from worsening. Reach out today to speak to one of the counselors or therapists who specializes in walking with people who’ve experienced trauma. They can help you build the tools you need to process your experiences and to cope well with your symptoms.