Trauma/PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)
Experiencing a variety of negative reactions related to a previous traumatic event or events.
Your life matters
PTSD and trauma can impact everyday life in some big ways. If you have experienced trauma or feel you may have PTSD, your feelings are valid and you deserve support.
What does trauma feel like?
While there are official criteria for diagnosing trauma disorders, some have described it as feeling like:
Decreased ability to feel joy or interest participating in things
Trauma can make it difficult to want to connect with others or engage in social activities. Part of it can be because of increased social anxiety from the way the traumatic event happened, but it can also be a side effect of the strain trauma puts on the brain.
Tired or drained, even after getting enough rest
Trauma takes a lot out of you, which can lead to fatigue that just won't go away. Your brain uses a lot of energy trying to process intense emotions which does not leave much energy for other things.
Flashbacks or avoidance of aspects of the traumatic event(s)
This is a symptom people often think of when they hear PTSD. It is common for our brains to want to avoid aspects of events that traumatized us in order to protect us. Sometimes though the aspects our brains want us to avoid may not be dangerous at all and can cause us to miss out on things that are important to us.
Being more annoyed, anxious, or frustrated
It can be hard to be patient with others when you are hurting. It is common for those with trauma to have a "short temper" until it is resolved with therapy, life style changes, and/or medications.
Having a hard time focusing or remembering things
"Brain fog" as it is sometimes called can happen with most mental health conditions including trauma and PTSD. When the brain has to work overtime to adjust to an imbalance, it struggles to keep up with other tasks like attention and memory.
Help is available
PTSD and trauma are not something to "tough out". They are often best treated with therapy and/or medications. PTSD and trauma can be very treatable with the right help.
What causes PTSD?
While not everyone gets PTSD after a traumatic event, there are factors that can increase your risk for developing PTSD such as:
Things that happened when you were young.
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are events that happen during childhood that can have an impact on someone their whole life. Examples include being exposed to violence, neglect, drug or alcohol use, and several more. ACEs are associated with higher rates of PTSD and other types of mental health diagnoses.
Sometimes it's something you're born with.
Genetics can play a role in who is more likely to develop PTSD after exposure to a traumatic event. This does not mean people born with those genetics are destined to get PTSD, but they can be more likely to develop it sometime in their life, especially if they have other risk factors.
Life can be really hard.
Big life changes can be hard on our minds. Things like death, breakups, financial changes, and many other experiences can wear us down and decrease our resilience. Even positive changes can cause stress that might bring about difficult feelings.
Your mind and body are connected.
Physical conditions like brain injuries have been found to increase likelyhood of PTSD development after a potentailly traumatic event. Also, having pain or discomfort from an illness or injury chips away at our resilience.
Things can add up.
There are several mental health conditions that often happen alongside PTSD. Anxiety and depression commonly happen with PTSD and can make seeking treatment quickly even more vital.
Can we improve PTSD ourselves?
There are many factors that play into who develops trauma disorders, but steps can be taken to help protect against or improve PTSD like:
Staying active
If there ever was a "wonder drug", activity/exercise would be it. Almost every aspect of life is shown to improve with regular activity and exercise. Click for strategies anyone can use to become more active with small manageable steps.
Giving our body what it needs
What we put into our bodies also affects our minds. Getting the right nutrients and supporting our "brain-gut connection" can be for everyone. Click to learn more about how to make small changes that add up.
Strong sleep habits
Sleep impacts mental health and mental health impacts sleep. There are subtle changes that can be made to our nightly routines that encourage more restful sleep.
Understanding emotions
Sometimes it is important to give yourself a break. Understanding where emotions are coming from can help you identify areas to improve, as well as let you go easier on yourself for things that may not be in your control.
Healthy hobbies
Hobbies can help us become better at handling the challenges of life. Hobbies are often overlooked as a mental health tool. They help us unwind, meet like-minded people, and can improve mood.
What treatments help PTSD and trauma?
There are medication and non-medication based treatments that have been shown to help with trauma and PTSD.
Medication
Sometimes trauma requires temporary medication intervention in order to get the best results from therapy. It is important to become established with a psychiatric professional in order to receive the right medication treatment for you (if needed).
Non-Medication
It is also important to consult with a mental health professional about non-medication treatments. Some may still require referral or a prescription. Examples of non-medication treatments include:
- Therapy
- Vitamin modification
- Sunlight/Red light
- Lifestyle changes
- Therapeutic groups
Which treatment is best?
It is important to find a mental health specialist that blends best practices and your personal preferences, to help create a treatment plan that works best for you.