What actually is PTSD?
Most of us know that is the acronym for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Many know about stress, as we all have stress. But many have not experienced the horror of PTSD, since it is beyond our ‘normal’ day to day stress. The significant distinction identifying PTSD is Trauma. Trauma is a response to real or perceived harm or danger. It is an emotional response to a stressful event to include a multiple range of occurrences such as accident, rape, domestic violence, combat and natural disasters.
Often people will describe their life story events as all inclusive trauma, and this may not be the case. If the presence of real danger to your life was not present, you have not experienced trauma. It may have been bad, but if you weren’t in fear for your life, you were dealing with something else. A common misconception is that everyone who experiences life threatening trauma develops PTSD. Many will be alright. Factors like total number and duration of traumatic events and where in particular your emotional grounding is make the distinction of perhaps not developing PTSD. It seems to be malfunctioning.
For those experiencing PTSD, the nature of instability increases in your daily life, your workplace, and the impact on your relationships, all symptoms likely leading to anxiety, and depression. And alcohol and drug abuse increases in attempt to sooth the distress.
Symptoms are multiple and full range, each individual experiencing symptoms as unique as themself. Difficulty sleeping, mood, thought and nightmares,, aggressive behaviors, flashbacks…. the list is long. The distress is not really necessary as now there is true awareness and treatment for PTSD. No one need to suffer as there is no stigma attached anymore.
The Military sanctions two therapies for the treatment of PTSD. Exposure Therapy and EMDR Therapy. As an EMDR Therapist, I attest to the efficacy of EMDR Therapy. It has saved many from the torture of untreated PTSD.
Call now to see if EMDR is right for you.