This is a three part series on PTSD. In this post, we will look at the general overview of PTSD. In our next blog post, we will discuss some tips on how to work through PTSD and how therapy can help.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) may develop after an awful ordeal that involved physical harm or the threat of physical harm. It can also occur after you see someone harmed or threatened.
War continues for veterans who suffer from PTSD, and their struggles with it have brought the disorder to public attention. PTSD doesn’t only occur in veterans but can develop after any sort of traumatic incident: rape, assault, abuse/torture, a car accident, or a natural disaster.
PTSD typically starts soon after the horrific event, but that’s not the case for everyone. Here are a few symptoms to look out for:
- Reliving the event: Bad memories can return at any time. There may be flashbacks during the day or nightmares. There can also be triggers (hearing a car backfire that sounds like gunfire to a veteran, seeing something that reminds you of your mugger or rapist).
- Avoiding situations that remind you of the event: Perhaps you can’t go to your son’s school because that’s where your car accident occurred. Maybe you can’t go back to work because that’s where you were robbed.
- Turning numb: Whether to family members, or not wanting to see friends or participate in activities that used to be enjoyable.
- Depression: Along with losing interest, depression can also develop.
- Unhealthy distractions: Drinking or substance abuse problems.
- Other signs: Sudden anger or irritation, difficulty concentrating or sleeping, fear of safety, relationship and/or employment problems.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s best that you go see your doctor or therapist right away. You aren’t alone when it comes to PTSD, and you don’t have to face it alone.
Here are some staggering facts on PTSD based on the U.S. population:
- About 7 or 8 out of every 100 people will have PTSD at some point in their lives.
- About 5.2 million adults have PTSD during a given year. This is only a small portion of those who have gone through a trauma.
- About 10 of every 100 of women develop PTSD sometime in their lives compared with about 4 of every 100 of men.
You don’t have to go through PTSD alone or work it out by yourself. In our next blog post, we’ll talk about where to turn for help. To prepare for that post, here are a couple videos from two veterans: Jesse, on how he is coping, and Ted, on how it’s never too late to seek help for PTSD.
If you have any questions about today’s blog post, don’t hesitate to contact Reka by phone at 402-881-8125, by email at reka@omaha-counseling.com, or via Twitter or Facebook.
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photo credit: joanna.babinska via photopin cc
