PTSD: are you reliving the traumatic event?

PTSD: are you reliving the traumatic event?

In your day to day life, you go through a lot of happenings and events. The majority of these happenings do not affect you, and you tend to forget it in a day or two. But certain incidents can leave you shocked and traumatized. The repercussions of such events can last for long and change your entire life. When such events start affecting your mental health, you are said to be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

What is PTSD?

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental condition that develops when you undergo or witness a scary, shocking, or terrifying event. You develop severe anxiety and fear and develop uncontrollable thoughts about the event. 

When you undergo or witness a traumatic situation, you will naturally have difficulty adjusting to the thought. But this is normally a temporary phase. Through proper self-care and support, you can come out of it in no time. But some may not come to terms with the dreadful situation even after months and years. It even starts affecting your day to day activities. That is when you are diagnosed with PTSD.

What Are The Symptoms of PTSD?

A person having PTSD may show any of the following symptoms. 

• Re-experiencing symptoms

Here you re-experience the event again and again. When this happens, you start sweating a lot, and the heartbeat increases. You might develop bad dreams and frightening thoughts about the incident. Some objects or words connected to the incident can trigger the re-experiencing symptom. 

• Avoidance symptoms

Here you tend to avoid thoughts or feelings related to the incident. Some people even avoid places or objects that are closely related to the incident. For example, if you witnessed a close friend drowning, you tend to stay away from ponds or lakes as it brings back the dreadful memory. 

• Arousal symptoms

If you have arousal symptoms, you experience them constantly. You will either find it difficult to sleep or feel tensed all the time, or get easily startled. You will find it difficult to do daily tasks as the symptom is constant, and you will feel stressed out and worried. 

• Mood symptoms

This includes feeling guilty or blaming yourself for the event, or loss of interest in enjoying activities. Some people will have difficulty remembering key features of the event. Mood symptoms can make you detached from family and friends. 

How To Manage PTSD?

PTSD can be managed through medication and psychotherapy. 

The most commonly used medication for PTSD is anti-depressant. This helps to control symptoms like sadness, worry, and feeling of numbness. Symptoms like sleeplessness and nightmares can be controlled through specific medicines meant for the purpose. 

Psychotherapy involves talking with a mental health professional about the traumatic event. It can either be a one-on-one session or a group talk. Talking to your close friends or family is also an effective form of therapy. Through pshychotherapy, you are educated about the triggering factors of the symptom and how to manage it once the symptom occurs. 

Getting good support and timely help is the key to overcoming PTSD. With loving family and supportive friends you can overcome this situation without any difficulty.