![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Hypnosis.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The acronym stands for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and it is referred to as a psychological diagnosis made after an individual experience a traumatic event. Due to the nature of trauma, symptoms may not start showing immediately after the traumatic event, but rather a several months after. This is usually caused by denial, as most survivors of traumatic events often suppress the event altogether in an attempt to get back to a place of normalcy. Once the denial starts to wear off this is when symptoms start to manifest themselves.<\/p>\n
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, it is reported that about 6 in every 10 men in the U.S. will suffer from a minimum of one trauma in their life that may cause serious PTSD. It is also reported that 5 in every 10 women will experience the same. Not every traumatic event leads to PTSD, however, 80% of trauma survivors will experience some if not all symptoms of PTSD.<\/p>\n
One of the things that happen during a traumatic event is that your mind and all your other senses are magnified. This means that if you have been in a massive car accident you may be able to hear the metal grinding against the tar, windows breaking, your body being ejected to the ground, or being stuck behind the wheel or a body part being submerged.<\/p>\n
Psychologically your mind retreats within itself and starts to capture all the happening and consequently makes a memory book full of specific snapshots related to the trauma<\/a>. These memories tend to replay themselves over and over in your mind.<\/p>\n This means out of nowhere you may find yourself transported back to the scene of the accident in your mind. This will often involve you reliving the most traumatic parts of the incident, the one that your brain has cemented. Most trauma survivors experience flashbacks related to one specific moment of their traumatic incident.<\/p>\n Flashback happens when an individual is awake, and they are small snapshots back to the day of the trauma. However, nightmares occur in the subconscious and can in fact be far more painful and upsetting to experience. This is because the conscious mind is rational, while the subconscious mind is completely irrational. This means that your nightmares tend to be a lot more rooted in irrational subconscious fears and feelings.<\/p>\n If we use our car crash scenario, a flashback will be a real memory of what occurred during the incident. And although the conscious mind does start to distort these memories to serve your state of mind and feelings, they are grounded in factual information. Nightmares<\/a> on the other hand are not, which means instead of factual memory, in a nightmare your brain may link it to unrealistic feelings and occurrences. For example, instead of drowning in water, you are now drowning in blood, which of course is more heightens the trauma.<\/p>\n The memory book that your mind creates during a harrowing experience consists of a number of elements. In fact, these are all related to the five senses of smell, sight, touch, hearing, and taste. As such, your experience can be re-lived through various triggers. Using our car crash example, if a specific song on the radio was playing just before you lost control of the vehicle then that song may be a trigger. If you happen to hear the song again months later unexpectedly this can trigger the incident to replay in your mind again.<\/p>\n Sexual assault victims have reported being hyper-aware of the smell of their assaulter. Clearly being able to recognize and describe the exact smell of the individual. Sound is also a huge trigger in PTSD<\/a> patients with many veterans finding themselves being catapulted back to the war zone in their mind by hearing the pop of car exhaust, mistaking it for gunshots. Triggers don\u2019t necessarily have to be accurate, just accurate enough for the brain to form a connection back to the trauma.<\/p>\n According to studies conducted by journals of psychological<\/a> behavior, it is rather common for a trauma survivor to induce their own trauma re-experience. This is commonly done through watching and reading content and media that is directly or indirectly linked to their own ordeal. Studies show that this stems from a compulsive need to analyze and dissect the trauma and all factors that led to the ordeal. In many rape cases, survivors tend to feel a great amount of guilt and self-blame, with many choosing to dissect the event in order to identify areas where they could have stopped the incident or prevented it from happening.<\/p>\n Watching or reading content associated with the trauma is also a way \u201ctransference\u201d, where the survivor wishes to transfer their own experience to that of a television character. This helps the individual to relive and re-experience the trauma all over again. This is a rather dangerous thing, as often this tends to distort the survivor\u2019s own feelings about their own trauma, sometimes taking on feelings and thoughts that they did not necessarily hold before watching or reading the content.<\/p>\n This way of re-experiencing the event is a lot more common among men, especially when it is related to some form of macho combat or violent scenario. Often survivors turn the event into a braggadocious occurrence in an attempt to discard the shock and trauma they feel about the event.<\/p>\n One such case where this symptom occurs most is during a divorce. Divorces have been known to bring up symptoms of PTSD in both men and women. Men have been reported to often speak about their partner or the event in a deflective manner. Often constantly talking about the event as if it has little no consequence.<\/p>\n Psychologists<\/a> state that this is another form of re-experience symptoms, as well as avoidance symptoms. The need to share the experience with everyone gives the affected individual perceived control of the trauma while speaking of it nonchalantly allows the individual to suppress the feelings and emotions related to the trauma. It is also a way to gain sympathy, which psychologists state is an accurate response to trauma.<\/p>\n One of the first symptoms of PTSD is actually denial, this human feeling or state of mind occurs when an individual pretends the event never happened. Denial is linked to avoidance in that it allows the survivor to suppress feelings, emotions, and memories associated with the trauma, and instead of dealing with these head-on continues as if before. One of the coping mechanism<\/a>s that arise with the influx and the barrage of unwanted flashbacks and nightmares is memory suppression. This is when the individual takes all memories associated with the event and buries them deep into their mind. Often blocking them consciously and subconsciously from coming to the surface. This helps the individual to continue pretending that this trauma never happened to them and allows them to distance themselves from it.<\/p>\n One of the first things that happen after someone goes through trauma<\/a> is that their medical practitioners will recommend a psych evaluation as soon as the individual\u2019s physical body has been remedied or stabilized. However, as studies have shown over and over again, the mind is a far more complex thing to remedy, and often during this first evaluation after the incident, most survivors tend to deflect from talking about the experience.<\/p>\n These deflection tactics which include refusal to talk about the trauma, temporary amnesia, choosing to talk about only parts of the trauma, or just plain ignoring questions from specialists can occur months after the trauma.<\/p>\n In fact, psychologists state that they can determine how a survivor will most likely deal with the trauma-based on the interaction of the first evaluation. This however differs from patient to patient, especially in children who often choose to be silent and not talk about the trauma initially but later on start to communicate more.<\/p>\n According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, many survivors of distressful events tend to become recluse often choosing to spend most of their time alone. This often leads to anxiety<\/a> and depression states. According to behavioral science studies, one of the primary reasons why trauma survivors prefer to be alone and seclude themselves is because of the fear of not knowing how to behave after the trauma.<\/p>\n This has been proven true amongst sexual assault survivors who reported their perpetrator. Once the information got out to friends and family and the public at large many choose to stay indoors and limit their human interaction to a minimum. The foundational reason for this being the inability to handle the attention and receive sympathy from those around them as these responses tended to trigger feelings of victimization and shame. Another prominent reason why trauma survivors prefer to avoid human interaction is to avoid explaining their feelings to those around them.<\/p>\n Avoidance symptoms stem from the fear of having the same event happen again. As a result, many individuals who survive traumatic events tend to avoid doing the things that they believe may have caused the event to happen. Going back to our car crash example, an avoidance tactic that often occurs after major car accidents is the refusal to drive. Opting instead to use public transportation or having someone drive them.<\/p>\n One of the most common avoidance symptoms is the change of physical appearance which is proven to happen 80% amongst survivors of sexual assault. Many sexual assault survivors, especially women feel as if they could have done something to prevent the occurrence. And as clothing and appearance are often pointed out as a reason for sexual assault, many female survivors will drastically change their appearance. Which includes, dressing more conservatively, wearing less makeup, choosing to not style their hair<\/a>, etc. All in an attempt to avoid the event occurring again.<\/p>\n In the previous section we discussed avoidance through choosing to refrain from doing something that is believed to be the cause of the trauma, however, the opposite also holds true. Sometimes, instead of staying away from activities that may lead to the trauma happening another PTSD symptom of avoidance is avoidance through reverse tactics. Sexual assault<\/a> survivors may choose to become promiscuous and wear even more revealing clothes and engages in behavior that they believe is high risk. Psychologists often refer to this is a limitation test, where survivors try to push the limits to see if the same incident will occur again. This is rooted in feelings of confusion, fear, and lack of control of the same thing happening to them unexpectedly. Instead of choosing to gain some control through their hast actions.<\/p>\n One of the symptoms of PTSD is struggling to sleep, with some survivors reportedly starting to experience long bouts of insomnia<\/a>. The struggle to fall asleep after trauma is linked to a number of reasons. The first reason is fear, the fear of actually going to sleep. This stems from the individual knowing that they may experience a nightmare, however, it also stems from a fear of being vulnerable and not in control.<\/p>\n The latter occurring more specifically in assault survivors. When we are asleep we at our most exposed and at our most vulnerable, thus if you believe you may be hurt again in this state then sleep is something you may actively avoid. Another reason why trauma survivors struggle to sleep is due to brain hyperactivity. This is linked to flashbacks and restlessness. Sleep requires a state of peace of mind, however, if your mind is restless and unstable sleep may be a lot harder to access.<\/p>\n Hyperawareness and hypervigilance are symptoms of PTSD and are mainly prominent in trauma that affected the person physically, such as an assault, an attack, or even fighting at war. This is because your body is on high alert and looking to find ways to protect itself. This may often result in paranoia<\/a>, and hallucination, where you interpret scenarios happening to fit the narrative of your fear.<\/p>\n For example, if you are mugged and someone comes up to you with a knife or a gun, then you may start suspecting everyone who approaches you, especially someone resembling the individual. Another reason that paranoia is rife in physical or violent trauma survivors is that often the perpetrator is never caught. This may be the case in a mugging or an assault, as such your mind keeps inventing scenarios where that person finds you and does it again. This is owed to the fact that the individual is still at large and remembers you.<\/p>\n When a person survives a trauma getting back to their normal routine is often very challenging and extremely difficult. This is especially true for the first couple of months after the trauma, with many survivors reporting struggling to think straight, focusing at work or school, or even being socially engaged. This is because the mind is still engrossed in the event and still trying to process the happenings of the event.<\/p>\n As such one may find themselves in a dazed state of mind, where basic cognitive<\/a> skills such as making decisions, special recognition, or reading social cues become quite challenging. This is why it is advised that survivors take some time off from their daily schedule of going to work, school, or other activities that require these skills. One of the side effects symptoms of difficulty in focusing and concentrating is found especially amongst adolescent teens who often report a drop in grades and inability to integrate successfully back into their social routines.<\/p>\n One of the tactics that PTSD sufferers have is the ability to adjust their behavior in an attempt to not deal with the effects of their trauma. This often happens specifically amongst teens who are more prone to suppressing feelings of fear, guilt, shame, and loss by pretending to feel something else. This adjustment in behavior allows them to skate through talking about their trauma as those around them are fooled into believing they are coping well.<\/p>\n According to behavioral psychology journals, behavior adjustment is quite dangerous as it often leads to an escalation of feelings and emotions which then tend to come out in the form of an outbreak or an outburst such as a suicide, or even a mass shooting. With the rise in school shootings in America, one of the underlying factors of those close to the shooter is that they had not seen any symptoms of unruly behavior<\/a> or instability.<\/p>\n The opposite is also true about behavior adjustment where some survivors become a lot more hypersensitive and emotional. This is the case in most assault survivors where heightened emotions of sadness and loneliness became prevalent. Where many survivors reported feeling like they were about to have emotional<\/a> outbursts and had no idea how to manage them or stop them.<\/p>\n Psychologists have recommended that trauma survivors speak to other survivors of similar events. This is often in the form of a support group where individuals have the opportunity to share their feelings and emotions in a supportive atmosphere. As many people in the support group have been through similar traumas they feel less alone. Trauma survivors find it hard to share their feelings with people who may love and support them but are unable to grasp the core feelings of the trauma. Support groups make for a great outlet for those wishing to discard any extreme emotions they may be bottling in.<\/p>\n Mood swings<\/a> are prominent in a number of psychological traumas as they reflect the brain\u2019s state of mind. Mood swings occur when an individual is still coming to grasp with their own emotions and feelings especially after trauma. Often caused as a result of not having healed fully and completely. In many sexual assault incidents, survivors have found themselves starting to feel happy and peaceful again, becoming social and may be even dating, however, these feelings are then overshadowed by the feelings associated with the trauma. Which tends to be the direct opposite, causing the individual to retreat into a mood swing.<\/p>\n Survivors can expect to encounter mood swings long after the events of the trauma, however as they continue to heal and deal with the feelings of the trauma the mood swings will be less prominent. During this time of healing, it is advised that the survivor is extremely vocal about what it is their feeling especially to those close to them who may start to feel bullied or alienated.<\/p>\n Many trauma survivors report feeling numb<\/a> and completely void of all emotions. This is rather normal and is caused by the desire to disassociate themselves from feeling all the emotions linked to their trauma. Many individuals report not feeling any emotions related to other people\u2019s issues and problems. If you happen to be a friend with someone dealing with the trauma you may find that they are completely aloof to any of your problems, emotions, and troubles. This is because they are numb to their own feelings and as such cannot relate to yours.<\/p>\n They lack sensitivity and may feel as if what you are talking about is menial and completely unfounded, especially because they are dealing with the magnitude of their own trauma. This may mean they fail to sympathize with the feelings of those around them and opt to rather not engage in conversation and not give advice.<\/p>\n As already mentioned struggling to sleep and nightmares are symptoms of PTSD, however, sleeping constantly is also a symptom. Due to the fact that depression and anxiety tend to be side effects of trauma, it is no surprise that oversleeping or excess sleep is also a symptom of trauma. One of the reasons that sleep becomes a symptom is that it can be used as a coping mechanism against trauma. Some survivors use sleep as a way to not deal with the effects of the event. It allows them to escape all the feelings, emotions, and trauma associated with the event.<\/p>\n Sleep also means that individuals won\u2019t have to communicate with those around them or be social in any way. In fact, sleeping can be employed as an avoidance tactic, but also a re-experiencing symptom<\/a>. This is because some individuals have the ability to lucid dream, this ability can also be more easily acquired after trauma as it allows individuals to control their dreams in their favor.<\/p>\n One of the symptoms of PTSD is negative feelings towards beliefs and principles that one held dear or to esteem<\/a>. One of the areas where survivors experience these feelings is towards their faith or religion. This tends to lead many to a crisis of faith, where they battle with their beliefs. A crisis of faith after a trauma tends to be rooted in blame. With survivors blaming their God or a higher power for the trauma that has unfolded.<\/p>\n Psychologists state that this is linked to an individual\u2019s inability to reconcile their beliefs about what has happened to them. As most religions preach of a just and fair God, survivors may feel as though this principle is no longer true as they consider what occurred to them unjustly and unfairly. The consequence of this is that they turn away, either temporarily or permanently from their faith opting to discard their beliefs.<\/p>\n After reading all the symptoms mentioned above, this one should be the least surprising. When someone encounters a trauma, it is often life-changing and something that alters the state of the regular routine and life. This result is individuals finding themselves completely and utterly uninterested in anything. Preferring to sit on the sidelines and not participate in any activities. This often holds true specifically to activities that the individual used to love or be good at, especially if it somehow relates to the trauma.<\/p>\n For example, if a high school cheerleader is assaulted after cheerleading practice or while in their cheerleading uniform, they may associate the trauma to cheerleading. Which will mean choosing to never engage in the activity again. Many trauma survivors will find it extremely difficult to find interest in anything ever again, this is associated with feelings associated with depression<\/a> of hopelessness and lack of purpose.<\/p>\n\r\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Insomnia.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n2. Nightmares and Restlessness<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/trauma.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n3. Triggers<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/mode-swing_2.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n4. Watching\/ Reading Media Related To Your Trauma<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Wait-it-Out.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n5. Constantly Talking About Your Trauma<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Short-term-memory.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n6. Memory Suppression<\/h3>\n
\nAs discussed in the previously most trauma survivors will find themselves constantly reliving their trauma whether voluntarily or involuntarily.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/consult-a-doctor.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n7. Deflection Tactics<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Inability-to-Pick-Up-on-Subtle-Social-Cues.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n8. Avoiding Human Interaction<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Loose-Clothing.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n9. Changing of Physical Appearance<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/risk-factor_mono.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n10. Avoidance Through Reverse Tactics<\/h3>\n
\nThis often involves reckless behavior in an attempt to avoid dealing with the trauma. Some car crash survivors may opt to drive recklessly by speeding, driving over red lights, and approaching sharp curves at full speed.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Sleep-Disorder-1.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n11. Struggling To Sleep<\/h3>\n
<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Paranoia.jpg\")
12. Paranoia and Hypervigilance<\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Dystonia-1.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n13. Difficulty in Focusing And Concentrating<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Irritability.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n14. Adjusting Behavior<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Crying.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n15. Extremely Emotional And Sensitive<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Mood.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n16. Moody\/ Mood swings<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Look-at-something.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n17. Numbness And Lack Of Sensitivity<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Sleep.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n18. Constantly Sleeping<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Brain-Fog.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n19. Crisis of Faith<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Depression.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n20. Diminished Interest In activities That Were Previously Enjoyed<\/h3>\n
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