PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder)
Taking part in PTSD counseling can provide a safe outlet for expressing your feelings and emotions. During the sessions, you and your therapist will discuss effective ways to help minimize, or even eliminate, distressing symptoms of PTSD.
Common Reactions To PTSD
The following are four common reactions to PTSD:
1. Reliving aspects of the traumatic event
- Vivid flashbacks (feeling like the trauma is happening right now)
- Intrusive thoughts or images
- Nightmares & trouble sleeping
- Intense distress at real or symbolic reminders of the trauma
- Physical sensations such as pain, sweating, nausea or trembling
2. Hypervigilance or feeling on edge
- Panic when reminded of the trauma
- Easily upset or angry
- Disturbed sleep or a lack of sleep
- Irritability or aggressive behavior
- Difficulty concentrating – including on simple or everyday tasks
- Being jumpy or easily startled
- Self-destructive behavior or recklessness
- Other symptoms of anxiety
3. Avoidance of feelings or memories
- Avoiding of places, people, and activities that reminds you of the trauma
- Inability to remember details of what happened
- Feeling emotionally numb or cut off from your feelings
- Feeling physically numb or detached from your body
- Being unable to express affection
- Using alcohol or drugs to avoid memories
4. Distressing beliefs or feelings
- Feeling like you can't trust anyone
- Feeling like nowhere is safe
- Feeling like nobody understands
- Blaming yourself for what happened
- Overwhelming feelings of anger, sadness, guilt or shame
PTSD Support
It’s very important to have support as you recover from PTSD. Some people find they lose the ability to cope with their everyday lives because of the traumatic experience, but most people are able to recover from PTSD with the right help.
PTSD Therapy
If you are struggling with these symptoms after a traumatic event, therapy can help improve your symptoms, teach you skills to better cope, and restore your self-esteem. PTSD therapy helps restructure and make sense of your memories, forming positive, realistic memories that take the place of the distorted, painful memories of the trauma that lead to difficulties in functioning.