PTSD stands for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I myself have been diagnosed with PTSD. Because there is still a lot of ignorance about PTSD, I started my blog. By writing about it, sharing my experience and knowledge, I wish there would be more awareness and understanding of people with PTSD. Precisely because many people are still unfamiliar with the term, I would like to explain what PTSD is, what different forms there are and what it means if you have PTSD.
PTSD is the result of a traumatic experience, where you avoid not the experience itself, but the memory of it. PTSD is a long, intense stress reaction to the traumatic event(s), in which you experience continuous stress (both in your body and your mind) and you are constantly on alert (because your body and mind take into account danger that is no longer there). In addition, you develop all kinds of physical symptoms.
There are several terms that circulate. In the Netherlands and the Dutch language, the official term is PTSD. This stands for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Personally, I don't like the sound of the word Stoornis. It implies that I may be "disturbed", that there is something wrong with me as a person. I prefer to speak of Symptoms. Not only does that sound friendlier. A symptom is a characteristic of something, in this case the remnants of the traumas I have experienced, but that is an aside.
In English, it is called PTSD: this stands for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Then there is the term PTS; which means Post Traumatic Stress. You can find different explanations for this term. In America today, this term is used more instead of PTSD because the word Disorder implies that you are crazy or have a disorder (disorder). That is one explanation why the D is omitted. Another explanation is that PTS indicates that you suffer from post-traumatic stress as a result of a traumatic experience. You then do have stress symptoms, but it is not a diagnosed disorder.
I continue talking about PTSD, since this is the official Dutch term used.
PTSD comes in different forms. For example, you have Acute Stress Disorder, Acute PTSD, Single PTSD, PTSD with Dissociative Symptoms, Chronic PTSD, Complex PTSD and Comorbid PTSD.
The differences between these forms are related to the onset and duration of symptoms, intensity and type of symptoms.
For example, Acute Stress Disorder has similar symptoms to PTSD, but the duration is only up to 1 month versus three months in Acute PTSD.
Single PTSD involves one trauma (this could be an accident, natural disaster, traumatic childbirth, robbery or death of child, for example) as opposed to complex PTSD where it involves long-term traumatic experiences or multiple traumatic experiences (think war violence, domestic violence, assault, sexual or other abuse, for example).
PTSD with Dissociative Symptoms causes a person to switch off in addition to the PTSD symptoms: he temporarily steps out of his body, so to speak, in order to avoid experiencing the intense feelings and emotions.
Chronic PTSD means that the symptoms persist for a long time, i.e. longer than 3 months. And in Comorbid PTSD, the PTSD is accompanied by other psychological disorders.
Although there are various forms of PTSD, all have similarities. In PTSD, as well as Acute Stress Disorder, you see that someone:
The answer to the question of whether you always get PTSD after a traumatic experience is No. This is determined by several elements. For example, duration plays an important role. Is the traumatic experience a one-time event or does a person undergo a traumatic experience several times or over a long period of time? This can make the difference in whether someone develops PTSD or not.
In addition, a person's personality and character affect whether a person develops PTSD. One person is better able to process the traumatic experience than another. For example, because this person can experience and verbalize his/her feelings and experiences well or because he/she has a safety net and is supported in processing. But DNA also plays a role. For example, it appears that 50% of the risk of developing PTSD is determined genetically. The FKBP5 gene involved in the brain's response to stressful situations seems to play a role.
The timing of when the trauma is identified can also be influential. The earlier the trauma is diagnosed, the greater the chance of recovery and better processing of the trauma. In young children, up to age seven, trauma can be treated better and more effectively, than in adolescents and adults. Young children are more resilient and the fact that their brains are still developing has a positive influence on processing and healing the trauma.
In adults, on the other hand, the brain is less flexible when it comes to change. And there is less chance of healing. The symptoms belonging to the PTSD are then treated (long-term) rather than cured.
If you have traumatic experiences in childhood, the impact, if inadequately or not treated (in a timely manner), can be many times greater than if you have a traumatic experience as an adult. For example, you have a greater chance of developing physical and mental health problems; for example, cardiovascular disease, cancer, bowel disease, chronic pain and fatigue symptoms and obesity. But depression, anxiety disorders and other mental disorders are also more common in people who have childhood trauma-related PTSD.
Furthermore, early experience can cause the development of social, emotional and cognitive skills to lag behind. Think of not being able to control yourself (outbursts of anger, use of violence, addictions), not being able to enter into healthy (love and friendship) relationships with other people, insufficient ability to process knowledge which can affect your career.
A person who has PTSD experiences constant stress and thus is constantly in stress mode. In this stress mode, the body produces large amounts of stress hormones over a long period of time. This not only affects the functioning and stores of stress hormones; it affects all systems in the body and brain. PTSD has a major impact on neuro-chemical processes (these are the chemical processes in the nervous system) and specific areas of the brain, including the hippocampus, amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex. If you want to learn more about the impact of PTSD on the brain, read this post.
How do you recognize the signs in someone who has PTSD? That's quite a tricky question. PTSD can manifest itself, in different ways. The symptoms can also resemble depression, anxiety disorder or bipolar disorder.
Possible symptoms include:
A person who has complex PTSD (CPTSD) may additionally show other symptoms, such as:
A person with PTSD or C-PTSD does not have to exhibit all the symptoms and can also exhibit similar symptoms but have a different disorder. To be sure that someone has PTSD or C-PTSD, extensive testing should be done by a psychologist and/or psychiatrist.
How to treat PTSD depends on several factors, such as the severity of the PTSD, the person who has the PTSD and treatment options. For example, the same treatment options are not available in every place in the world. In a Western country, the knowledge and treatment of PTSD is more developed and there are usually more treatment options than in a developing country.
Because the symptoms are usually both physical and mental, treatment in both areas is necessary and often long-term. Treatment varies from person to person. A variety of treatment options are offered, including: psychological or psychotherapeutic counseling, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), medication, cognitive behavioral therapy
From my own experience, I can say that not everything that is offered works. There is no "one size fits all" treatment. During the more than 25 years that I have experienced many help programs and types of help, I have come to the conclusion that it is very important that you do your own research to see what you need in terms of help and what suits you. This can range from psychological help to medical support and from physical therapy to (temporary) medication. Knowledge is necessary for this, so that you do not blindly follow (well-meaning) advice.
PTSD is complex and has a major impact on your life. In this post you can read how I experience my life with PTSD.
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