What Is Post-traumatic Stress Disorder? Effects, Symptoms and Causes
Last Update on August 10, 2020 : Published on July 9, 2020
Have you seen an unreasonably aggressive child, or an adult struggling with depression or anxiety after the death of their loved ones? Or maybe you have encountered someone who has isolated themselves from social life. How about anyone who has survived domestic violence or physical assault? You might have encountered such people, but you might never know they’re suffering from any form of emotional discord.
Contrary to popular belief, people suffering from mental illnesses cannot be identified through their facial expressions. Just like the late Robin Williams, you can never tell from a person’s demeanor if they’re suffering from within.
Speaking of hidden mental disorders, PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder) is another mental illness that has caught many in its clutches. PTSD can be a result of several causes including, the sudden death of a loved one, terrifying car crash, or unexpected trauma.
What Is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD)?
PTSD is a serious condition that develops after encountering repulsive, fatal, or melancholic events. According to the research, almost 8 million people are suffering from PTSD.
After experiencing a life-changing event it is common to cope up with failure, fear, anxiety, depression, and sadness. Time heals all wounds, and so as PTSD can get better with time. But if we are not taking medications to halt this serious issue, then it will last for months or for years.
What Are The Effects Of PTSD?
PTSD is tough to live with. It affects our day to day life which includes personal and professional being. Traumatized victims surviving with PTSD can experience an issue with their family members or friends.
They can’t trust, communicate, or fulfill the close bond which eventually impacts their relationship with their near ones.
Image Source: Psycom.net
If there are adolescents or children who haven’t taken medications for PTSD, then there could be adverse effects on their lives. And because of this, they will lead to a negative survival which will impact their adulthood.
Primary Effects Of PTSD: –
Once they step into adulthood the PTSD victim will more likely to encounter the following primary effects.
- They will be surrounded by suicidal thoughts and behavior.
- They will try to harm themselves by any means.
- Try to get off from every social networking site and avoid being in contact.
- Unable to trust and maintain a positive approach to life and relationships.
- A continuous chronic feeling of worry, anxiety disorders, and fears.
Symptoms Of PTSD:
Here we will classify the symptoms of PTSD into three categories mainly, Re-Experiencing Symptoms, Hyperarousal Symptoms, and Avoidance Symptoms. Moreover, these symptoms vary from person to person.
Re-experiencing Symptoms- This symptom impacts our daily routine life.
You will get a flashback and upsetting thoughts of those traumatic events.
For instance, if you have survived a horrific car crash and your loved one has deceased in that event. In this situation, you will be surrounded by negative thoughts, such as “wish you could have been avoiding going out that night” or “You could just stay home and play with your pet”
Upsetting thoughts can be anything that regards to Why, What and When.
Other Re-experiencing Symptoms Of PTSD are:
- Nightmares
- Intrusive memories and thoughts
- A strong feeling of discomfort and uneasiness.
Hyperarousal Symptoms:
This symptom leads to perform daily life activities more challenging and laborious. Below are the symptoms.
- Sleeping difficulties like insomnia, Sleep Terrors and others.
- Unable to concentrate
- Elevated blood pressure, dilated pupils, and increased heart rate.
- Panic Attacks, nervousness, restiveness. Anxiety.
Avoidance Symptoms:
Anything that nudges a PTSD victim about the traumatic event, it falls in the Avoidance Symptoms category. Some of its basic symptoms are mentioned below:
- Despair and detaching from everyone including your loved ones.
- Inability to show strong emotions
- Sense of guilt and always in worry
- Depression and hopelessness
- Neglecting objects, places, and people that remind of that traumatic event.
Causes OF PTSD:
Image Source: Psycom.net
PTSD causes can be variable and depend on a person to person. It may happen because someone has witnessed a terrifying event, or an individual has gone through a physical assault in its early stage of life. To understand the causes of PTSD, we have mentioned the basic points that may narrate you better.
- Childhood Neglection
- Brutal Physical Abuse and Molestation
- Frightful Combat Kidnapping
Or any other event which leaves footprints on your mind can cause PTSD
We’re Here To Help You!
Yes, you can reach out to us at any time! We understand that mental health is as important as physical. Every problem has solutions and all you have to find that answer. Stay calm and relax. Always remember “Only you can change your life. No one can do it for you”
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About The Author
Akanksha Soni
Akanksha is an active lifestyle blogger and writer at Calmsage. She has learnt various lessons on happiness and methods to fight depression through 'Gurus' as well as own experiences. An ardent practitioner of Yoga and meditation, she keeps traveling, writes and interacts with people to feel alive.
