Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: The signs, symptoms and treatment

What is post-traumatic stress disorder?

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that is caused by experiencing or witnessing something very stressful or threatening. It happens when the impact of the event or situation doesn’t allow you to fully settle, and your mind and body continue to react as though the threat is still there, even though the event has passed.

PTSD is not just being upset about something, it’s remembering a bad experience and continuing to relive it. It can feel like your body is reacting as if the event is happening all over again, even when this is not the case, and you know you are safe. While PTSD is a serious mental health condition, with the right help and support, recovery is possible.

What is trauma?

Trauma is an emotional response to an extremely distressing event or experience that has happened in someone’s life.This usually involves a direct threat on the person’s life or physical safety.  It can also happen when someone witnesses in person a life-threatening event occurring to another person. 

Experiences like being attacked, sexually abused/assaulted, neglected, witnessing/experiencing violence, or surviving a natural disaster are all examples of situations that may cause someone trauma. People can also experience trauma from high stress or dangerous environments where they experience or are at risk of experiencing any kind of abuse, oppression or pain.

Does everyone who experiences trauma develop PTSD?

Trauma can happen to anyone, but it doesn’t always lead to PTSD. Many people who experience trauma will recover without developing long-term symptoms. PTSD is related to trauma, but not everyone who experiences trauma will have PTSD. Even if someone doesn’t develop PTSD following a traumatic event, it doesn’t mean that what they experienced wasn’t deeply overwhelming or frightening. Any trauma can shake your sense of safety and affect how your mind and body react to the world around you.

PTSD can affect people in different ways. For some people, PTSD symptoms can begin within weeks of a traumatic event occurring. For others, they can appear months or years later. Some people with PTSD have less noticeable symptoms for a long time, followed by more severe symptoms over a period of time. Other people have severe symptoms all of the time. 

Symptoms of PTSD may include: 

• Re-experiencing the traumatic event or events
• Avoiding things related to the trauma
• Being hyper-aware and reactive
• Negative changes in how you think and feel 

Re-experiencing the traumatic event or events

You might have flashbacks and relive memories of the event. A flashback can feel very real and can affect you physically. Your heart might start racing, and you may feel like you are back in the moment. You can also have nightmares that can cause you to feel unsafe, and this can affect your sleeping patterns. When your sleep patterns are affected, this can change your energy, mood and concentration throughout your daily life. 

Avoiding things related to the trauma

You might avoid people, places or conversations that bring up certain emotions related to the event that happened. This can feel like protecting yourself at first, but over time, it can isolate you from others. You also might stop doing things you once enjoyed and not fully understand why. 

Being hyper-aware and reactive

You may feel uneasy or irritated. Loud noises can be overwhelming, and you might not be able to fully relax. This constant hyper-awareness can be exhausting on your nervous system and can have an impact on your relationships and overall well-being. 

Negative changes in how you think and feel

You might sometimes feel numb and even disconnected from yourself and the people around you. Some people feel strong guilt or shame even when what happened was not their fault. You might also notice negative thoughts about yourself or your future, and it can feel like your sense of safety has been shaken. 

Getting Support for PTSD

If you’ve been through trauma or think you may be experiencing some of the signs of PTSD, you deserve help and support. No matter how hard it may seem, people can and do recover from PTSD. While everyone’s recovery journey is different, getting the right support can make all the difference. There are lots of ways to get support, whether it’s talking to a professional, opening up to someone you trust or exploring resources to help you feel safe and more in control.

If you are finding it difficult to cope following a trauma, going to your GP and letting them know what’s going on can be a good first step. They will be able to point you in the right direction to get the best treatment. 

Support for Mental Health Conditions 

Pieta

Pieta provides emergency intervention counselling, a 24-hour helpline and support for those at risk of suicide or self-harm. Call now at 1800 247 247 or Text HELP to 51444.

Jigsaw

Jigsaw is a nationwide charity that offers free therapy to young people between the age of 12-25, as well as delivering a range of supports to parents, educators and those working with young people.

Samaritans

Samaritans provides a 24-hour freephone number for anyone experiencing difficulty or who needs to talk. Call now at 116 123.

Traveller Counselling Service

The Traveller Counselling Service provides community-based counselling service to meet the needs of the Traveller & Roma communities.

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