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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder – PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops after a terrifying ordeal that involved physical harm or the threat of physical harm. The person who develops PTSD may have been the one harmed, witnessed a loved one harmed, or the person may have witnessed a harmful event that happened to loved ones or strangers.

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Symptoms of PTSD usually fall into 3 areas:

People with PTSD may repeatedly relive the trauma in their thoughts during the day and in nightmares when they sleep. Memories and images of the traumatic events are called flashbacks. They occur suddenly, at any time and without obvious cause. Flashbacks may consist of sounds, smells, or feelings, and are often triggered by ordinary occurrences, such as a door slamming or a car backfiring. A person having a flashback may lose touch with reality and believe that the traumatic incident is happening all over again. Flashbacks are often accompanied by intense emotions, such as grief, guilt, fear, or anger. Sometimes they can be so vivid a person believes the trauma is reoccurring.

Some traumatized individuals may avoid situations that remind them of the original incident. They may feel numb, emotionless, or withdraw into themselves to shut out the painful memories and feelings. Friends and family can feel rejected, as PTSD victims may be unable to show affection and emotion. Trauma anniversaries dates are often very difficult for PTSD sufferers.

Trauma sufferers fearing further trauma are always on the alert. They may be on guard, jumpy, unable to sleep, angry, irritable. They may startle easily, become emotionally numb (especially in relation to people with whom they used to be close), lose interest in things they used to enjoy, have trouble feeling affectionate, be irritable, become aggressive, or even violent. Many also have concentration and memory problems.

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Complex Trauma

Trauma may refer to a single incident, while complex trauma refers to a series of traumatic events that take place over a long period of time, even months or years. Complex trauma can arise in any situation where you feel an ongoing sense of fear, horror, helplessness, or powerlessness over an extended period of time, with the perceived or actual inability to escape. It usually stems from trauma experienced in childhood.

Complex trauma has a lot in common with the classic symptoms of PTSD, including the re-experiencing, avoidance and anxiety symptoms, but it also causes distortions in a sense of self, makes emotional regulation difficult and makes relationships challenging if not unmanageable.

Some possible causes of complex trauma include ongoing sexual abuse or incest, physical or emotional abuse, chronic neglect or abandonment or parentification (children taking on adult roles).

Both PTSD and Complex PTSD are often accompanied by depression, alcohol and substance abuse, or one or more of the other anxiety disorders.