Post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD, is a mental health complication that is caused by a frightening event. People who go through traumatic events experience temporary difficulty coping and adjusting. Some common PTSD symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, depression, increased reactivity to stimuli, and avoidance of scenarios that may trigger the trauma. If these symptoms are left unchecked, they can have an adverse effect on your everyday functioning. Fortunately, there are many effective treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder. In this post, we will tell you why you should have your PTSD checked by addiction medicine specialist Charlotte.
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What Are the Symptoms of PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms usually start within one month after the traumatic event, but some symptoms are usually experienced years after. Severe PTSD can have an adverse effect on your work and social relations as well as your ability to perform your daily routines. PTSD symptoms are grouped into four different types such as; negative changes in mood and thinking, intrusive memories, avoidance, and changes in emotional and physical reactions, as explained below;
1. Intrusive memories
Below are some of the symptoms of intrusive memories:
- Severe emotional distress or reactions to situations that remind you of the traumatic event
- Frequent flashbacks of the traumatic event
- Upsetting nightmares or dreams about the traumatic event
2. Avoidance
Below are some of the symptoms of avoidance:
- Avoiding activities, people, or places that remind you of the traumatic event
- Trying to avoid talking or thinking about the traumatic event
3. Negative changes in thinking and mood
Some of the symptoms of negative changes in mood and thinking include:
- Feeling detached from friends and family
- Hopelessness about the future
- Trouble maintaining close relationships
- Feeling emotionally numb
- Lack of interest in many activities
- Negative thoughts about yourself and other people
- Difficulty experiencing positive emotions
4. Changes in physical and emotional reactions
The following are symptoms of changes in emotional and physical reactions, also known as arousal symptoms:
- Difficulty concentrating
- Overwhelming shame or guilt
- Trouble sleeping
- Angry outbursts, aggressive behavior, or irritability
- Self-destructive behavior
- Always being on guard for danger
- Being easily frightened or startled
What are The Causes of PTSD?
Generally, people develop post-traumatic stress disorder after seeing, learning, or going through an event involving serious injury, sexual violation, or actual or threatened death. While doctors have not determined the immediate cause of PTSD, below are some factors that may increase your chance of developing PTSD:
- Experiencing long-lasting or intense trauma
- Inherited mental health concerns, such as a family history of depression and anxiety
- Stressful experiences, including the severity of the trauma you have experienced
- How your brain regulates the hormones your body releases in response to stress
- Inherited features of your personality
- Lacking a good support system of friends and family
- Having experienced other severe trauma earlier in your life, such as childhood abuse
- Having problems with substance misuse, such as drug use or excessive drinking
- Having blood relatives with mental health problems
- Having a career that increases your risk of experiencing traumatic events, such as military personnel
- Having other mental health problems, such as depression
Many people develop PTSD-like symptoms after a traumatic event, such as frequently feeling anxiety, guilt, fear, depression, and anger. Receiving timely professional help and support may be very effective in preventing normal stress reactions from developing into PTSD-like symptoms. That said, consult with your healthcare provider if you notice any of the symptoms mentioned above of PTSD. To discover more about how to manage PTSD symptoms, visit this website: https://colonialsun.com/