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The Aftermath of Trauma:

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Most of the time we feel safe and go about our lives with only the expected stress of daily living. Sometimes, however, any of us could be subjected to catastrophic stress. We could experience a trauma and a complete inability to know how to handle the situation that is so outside of the ordinary realm of experience. These traumatic events can include physical or sexual abuse, physical attacks, natural disasters, fires, car accidents or the sudden death of a loved one. It is not only the victims of the of these events, but also witnesses, families of victims and helping professionals who can develop severe stress symptoms which last for months or even years after the event. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)is the term used to characterize the condition some people develop when they have experienced highly stressful and frightening experiences and undergo distress caused by memories of that event. The symptoms of PTSD can cause excessive distress so that social functioning and job or school performance are impaired.

There are three main clusters of PTSD symptoms:

Intrusive Symptoms: Intrusive and repetitive memories which stir up negative feelings experienced during the trauma can overwhelm a person. These memories can appear in the form of:

• Flashback ( a feeling of reliving the trauma)

• Frequent, distressing memories of the trauma

• Nightmares

• Emotional and physical distress when the traumatizing memories are triggered.

Arousal symptoms: PTSD sufferers experience physiological reactions, which indicate that they don’t feel safe and are physically on the alert to deal with danger. These can include:

• Being easily startled or feeling jumpy

• Hypervigilance (feeling “on guard” even when the situation is safe)

• Concentration difficulties

• Outbursts of anger and irritability

• Problems falling asleep or staying asleep.

Avoidance Symptoms: People suffering from PTSD go out of their way to escape the overpowering memories and arousal symptoms. This pattern of behavior can include:

• Avoiding places, people or situations that serve as reminders of the trauma

• Avoiding thoughts or feelings associated with the trauma

• Memory loss about some aspects of the traumatic event

• Feeling emotionally numb

• Feeling estranged or detached from people

• Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness about the future

• Decreased interest in pleasurable activities.

It is important to remember that PTSD is a normal reaction to a very abnormal situation. There is no shame in experiencing these symptoms, nor is having these symptoms a sign of weakness. Help is available from trained professionals so that in most cases the symptoms can disappear completely or at least substantially decrease and become manageable. The old way of thinking was that the strongest people were those who could hold in their emotions and face tragedy stoically. Unfortunately, this is precisely the pattern which leads to PTSD. Real strength comes from knowing oneself and expressing that sense of self in the world with openness, honesty, integrity, and courage.

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