Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a condition caused by being in an extremely terrifying or stressful event or witnessing it. For example, children can develop PTSD from being abused, or witnessing abuse in their households; adults can develop PTSD through domestic violence or witnessing another person being abused.
For many of us, these situations create traumatic memories, but not full blown PTSD. For some people, those traumatic events get trapped in our minds and bodies and develop into PTSD. We’ll address symptoms and treatment below.
PTSD symptoms may start within the first three months after a traumatic event. But sometimes symptoms may not appear until years after the event. Symptoms can be triggered by a specific event – a word, a person, a location, a similar feeling as what was experienced in the event – or they may be ever present and seemingly not tied to a specific trigger.
Symptoms lasting more than one month and causing major problems in social, work and relationships are hallmarks of PTSD. PTSD symptoms also can limit a person’s ability to function in daily life.
In our practice, we use a therapeutic modality called Internal Family Systems (IFS) where we understand personality as made up of multiple parts and those parts have two primary roles: to keep us safe, and to hold our emotions. (For more on IFS, click here.)
Intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in mood or cognitive functioning and shifts or changes in physical and emotional reactions are all symptoms of PTSD and can be treated with IFS.
If you struggle with any of the following, it may be a sign of PTSD. Know that these are treatable and relief is possible.
- Unwanted memories of past traumatic events that come back over and over.
- Flashbacks; where either feels like you’re in the event again.
- Nightmares about the event
- Significant time or energy spent on avoidance - trying not to think about the event.
- Staying away from things, people or places that bring back memories of the event.
- Negative thoughts about yourself or the world.
- Fear, intense anxiety or feeling unsafe in lieu of any threat.
- Being easily frightened or startled.
- Feeling always “on high alert” or looking out for danger.
- Trouble sleeping, and concentrating.
- Being irritable, angry, or noticing aggressive behaviors.
Symptom severity can vary – you may have more PTSD symptoms when you’re generally stressed or when you come across reminders of the experience, including the same time of year when a past traumatic event happened.
Often, when PTSD goes untreated, individuals will learn “self soothing” or “self medicating” behaviors – drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana, binge eating, porn use, gambling, etc. These traditional “addictions” are really parts of your personality trying to cope with the symptoms above. If you have these parts, you may notice they are more active under stress or around certain times of the year or certain people or situations.
Using Internal Family Systems (IFS) and EMDR, our therapists will work with the parts of you that are reacting, on high alert and are carrying the fear that originally occurred during the event. We can, in essence, help you to “make a different meaning” of the event and, thus, lessen symptoms and improve your quality of life, relationships and overall functioning.