"Trauma" refers to extreme stress that overwhelms a person's ability to cope. Trauma can take on many forms such as witnessing or experiencing a one-time accident, natural disaster, death, and violent assault or more chronic, repetitive experiences such as combat, deprivation and childhood abuse/neglect.
Whatever the trauma might be, it is that individual's experience of the traumatic event and the meaning it has for them that is most important to understand. For example, the individual may feel a threat to their life, a pervasive feeling of being unsafe in the world, helpless, a loss of control, pain, a betrayal of trust, abuse of power and confusion or loss.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an adaption to severe trauma, which is outside the normal range of life experiences. Not everyone who is exposed to a traumatic event will develop symptoms of PTSD or complex PTSD (a more chronic form of PTSD as a result of repetitive exposure to trauma).
Why after experiencing trauma do some people go on to develop PTSD? It may be related to the person's previous life history and/or the amount and quality of support that was available following the trauma.
The following symptoms of PTSD are particularly common:
- Repetitive distressing thoughts about the event
- Nightmares related to the event
- Flashbacks - memories or partial memories of the traumatic event in the form of body flashbacks (see somatization), visual images, smells and sounds
- Somatization: (how your body hold the memory of your trauma). For example, some people may find themselves experiencing unexplained pain, muscle tension, digestive problems, symptoms of anxiety such as difficulty breathing, heart palpitations or sweating.
- Attempts to avoid activities or external situations associated with trauma, such as developing a phobia about driving after being in an accident.
- Dissociation: ("losing touch" with your immediate surroundings or loss of conscious awareness of the present moment.) This experience can happen for a few minutes (like day dreaming) or for more prolonged periods of hours to days. "Dissociation" has often been used by trauma survivors as a means for self-protection when the world or th environment feels unsafe.
- Difficulty managing emotions that may be painful, confusing, frightening, intense or numbed. Even some "positive" emotions may be difficult for some individuals to manage.
- Emotional numbness - being out of touch or disconnected from feelings
- Feelings of detachment or estrangement from others
- Losing interest in activities that used to give you pleasure
- Persistent symptoms of increased anxiety, panic attacks, difficulty falling or staying asleep, difficulty concentrating, irritability, startling easily, experiencing heightened senses such as sounds, smells, light, temperature, and may have difficulty maintaining control over emotions such as anger.
- Difficulty establishing or maintaining happy and satisfying relationships.
- Reduced ability to find meaning in life and to have hope for the future
- Chronic feelings of emptiness or profound loneliness
- Difficulty soothing or comforting themselves or others
Individuals who suffer from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder tend to be anxious and depressed as well, and may find they are acting impulsively. Life may feel like you are on an "emotional rollercoaster" with abrupt mood changes that seem to "come out of the blue".
Managing the impact of trauma initially requires some specific skills, which can be learned. These skills include: stabilization - establishing safety and boundaries, mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation and intra/interpersonal relationship skills.
This information comes to you from the PTSD support group I attended through the London Health Sciences Centre. I would also like to remind you that this information is for your entertainment, informational and educational purpose only. Please do not self-diagnose using this information. If you have any questions about what you read here please speak with your doctor and/or treatment team. This information has been re-typed exactly as provided in the handout.