![[Original size] est 2021 (1)](https://bumblebeeproject.org/sitepad-data/uploads//2021/05/Original-size-est-2021-1-1.png "[Original size] est 2021 (1)")
Traumatic events (such as an accident, assault, war, or natural disaster) can have long lasting effects on a person's mental health. While many people will have short-term responses to the incident, some will develop longer lasting symptoms leading to a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis.
PTSD symptoms often co-exist with other conditions such as substance use disorders, depression, and anxiety. People with PTSD feel a heightened sense of danger. Their natural fight-or-flight response is altered, causing them to feel stressed or fearful, even when they're safe.
PTSD affects 3.6% of the U.S. adult population: about nine million individuals. 37% of those diagnosed with PTSD are classified as having severe symptoms. Approximately 12.9% of U.S. veterans are diagnosed with PTSD. Women are significantly more likely to experience PTSD than men.
PTSD can interrupt a person's normal activities and ability to function. Words, sounds, or situations that remind them of the trauma can trigger symptoms.
Symptoms of PTSD usually fall into four categories:
Avoidance, as the implies, involves avoiding people, places, and situations that remind the individual of the traumatic event.
According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), women are twice as likely as men to get PTSD, and the symptoms manifest slightly differently.
Women may feel more:
Women's symptoms last longer than men's. On average, women wait four years to see a doctor, while men usually seek help within the first year of symptoms starting.
Men usually have the typical PTSD symptoms listed above. These symptoms often start within the first month of the traumatic experience, but it can take months or years for signs to appear.
Everyone with PTSD is different. The specific symptoms are unique to each man based on his biology and the trauma he experienced.
Young children can also develop PTSD, and the symptoms are different than those of adults. Young children lack the ability to convey some aspects of their experience. Behavior (e.g. clinging to parents) is often a better clue than words, and developmental achievements in an impacted child might slip back (e.g. reversion to not being toilet trained in a 4-year-old).
It is essential that a child be assessed by a professional who is skilled in developmental responses to stressful events. A pediatrician or child mental health profession can be a good start.
The teenage years are already an emotionally difficult time. Processing trauma can be hard for someone who isn't a child but not quite an adult.
All of the previously stated symptoms still apply to teens. Although, PTSD in teens usually manifests as aggressive or irritable behavior. Teens may engage in risky behavior like drugs or alcohol to cope. They may also be reluctant to talk about their feelings.
PTSD can occur at any age and is directly associated with exposure to trauma. Adults and children who have PTSD are a relatively small portion of people who have been exposed to trauma.
Trauma may cause actual changes to the brain. For example, a 2018 study suggests people with PTSD have a smaller hippocampus (an area of the brain that is involved in memory and emotions).
More research is needed in this field.
There is no specific test to diagnose PTSD. It can be difficult to diagnose because people with this disorder may be hesitant to recall or discuss the trauma or symptoms.
A mental health professional, such as a psychologist, psychiatrist, or psychiatric nurse practitioner, is best qualified to diagnose PTSD.
Symptoms of PTSD usually begin within three months of experiencing or being exposed to a traumatic event. Occasionally, symptoms may appear years later. For a diagnosis of PTSD symptoms must last for more than a month.
Though PTSD cannot be cured, it can be treated and managed in several ways.
Such as cognitive processing therapy or group therapy.
Psychotherapy is an important tool to help cope with PTSD symptoms. It can help identify symptom triggers, manage symptoms, and face fears. Support from family and friends is helpful too.
Support groups offer a safe space where you can discuss feelings with other people who have PTSD. This can help to understand that symptoms are not unusual and that there are others who understand.
Such as self-soothing and mindfulness, are helpful to ground a person and bring them back to reality after a flashback.
Service dogs can help soothe the symptoms of PTSD and offer assistance during flashbacks or panic attacks.
If you have PTSD, early treatment can help relieve your symptoms. It can also give you healthy strategies for coping with intrusive thoughts, memories, and flashbacks.
Through therapy, medication, and support, you can get on the road to recovery.
Always remember that you are not alone. Support is available if and when you need it.