Post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD, is often associated with military veterans after experiencing combat. Over the years, it has been discovered to affect not only veterans, but also anyone who has experienced a traumatic event.
Anxiety is a common thread through PTSD, but there are also many other common symptoms that can come with it. Symptoms may vary from person to person and be experienced in differing intensities.
Here are some common symptoms to consider.
Flashbacks
Flashbacks are memories that are intense and intrusive. They send you on a journey of reliving the traumatic event all over again. Your sense of sight, sound, and smell can all be involved — making it feel completely realistic, as if you were right back in that moment.
After a trauma, flashbacks can feel very overwhelming and take a toll on you emotionally and physically. They can be triggered by any number of things, any place, and at any point in time. You could be going about your day, business as usual, and all of a sudden you’re unexpectedly jolted back in time. A car backfiring, a specific tone of voice, or a reminiscent smell can tap into the part of your brain controlling memory.
By the time the flashback is over, you could find yourself sweaty, breathing heavily, or dealing with a racing heart rate.
Nightmares and Sleep Disturbances
Similar to flashbacks, after trauma, it’s not uncommon to have nightmares where you relive the event while sleeping. They typically involve feeling helpless, fearful, and afraid. Much like flashbacks, they can cause distress and have an impact on day to day life.
Recurring nightmares can create a vicious cycle of PTSD symptom flare ups. When symptoms become more severe and nightmares are recurring, you may find yourself avoiding sleep. Insomnia interferes with cognitive functioning, rational thinking, productivity, and overall function.
Hypervigilance
Post trauma, you may have heightened senses and have this feeling of looking over your shoulder. It can take a toll feeling like you always need to scope out your environment.
In efforts for self preservation, where you walk, where you sit, and how you behave is calculated to prevent anyone from sneaking up and catching you off guard. Loud noises or overstimulating environments can also cause you stress. It’s possible this hypervigilance can interfere with your sleep patterns as well.
Avoidant Behavior
Trauma can leave a lasting mark. Anything that reminds you of the trauma or circumstances surrounding it can be triggering. This can be so disruptive that you start to avoid anything that remotely reminds you of that situation. In some instances, you may avoid social settings, getting close to other people, and activities that you once enjoyed.
This avoidance may also carry into how you manage your feelings and emotions. In an effort to forget the event, you try to numb yourself to it. This might involve avoiding dealing with your thoughts or processing your memories.
Negative Emotions Triggering Negative Behaviors
Common symptoms associated with PTSD include guilt, sadness, shame, fear, irritability, and anger. Emotional outburst are not uncommon, whether they are warranted or not.
Containing and controlling your emotions properly can be difficult, resulting in aggression towards those around you. When you’re on edge constantly, the littlest of matters can set you off.
Physical Symptoms
When your trauma goes unmanaged or unprocessed, it can start to manifest itself in physical ways. You may experience chronic pain, like headaches or backaches.
During times of agitation or a heightened level of arousal, you may notice a racing heart rate, rapid or shallow breathing, perspiration, or generalized fatigue.
Do any of these symptoms sound familiar to what you’re experiencing? It’s possible that you are suffering from PTSD. Contact us today to assess your symptoms and gain a deeper understanding with trauma therapy.
