PTSD Awareness
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a condition that the National Center for PTSD expects around 7–8% of the population of the US to experience in their lifetimes. The month of June is PTSD awareness month, and June 27th is the specific PTSD Awareness Day, originally declared because of the death of Staff Sergeant Joe Biel, who suffered from PTSD and took his life because of the symptoms he experienced.
While it was originally introduced to describe the phenomenon of symptoms that war veterans and civilians experienced in the 70’s after the Vietnam War, this condition has always existed under different names, such as “shell shock,” “battle fatigue,” “war neurosis,” and even described in works such as scholarly articles and poems by historic figures like Hippocrates and Lucretius. Since the condition has been studied more, we now know that both war veterans and non-veterans alike can develop PTSD, and that the condition has been linked to other serious events such as sexual, physical, emotional, or verbal abuse, natural disasters, human-caused disasters, and other life-threatening or traumatic events.
Some other PTSD statistics:
About 8 million adults in the U.S. have PTSD during a given year. (U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, 2019)
PTSD affects more than twice as many women (10%) as men (4%). (U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, 2019)
70% of adults in the U.S. experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. (Sidran Institute, 2018)
The percentage of people who will likely develop PTSD after experiencing these traumatic events (Sidran Institute, 2018):
Sexual assault: 49%
Severe physical assault: 32%
Serious accidents: 16.8%
Shoot and stabbing victims: 15.4%
The unexpected death of a loved one: 14.3%
Parents of children with life-threatening illnesses: 10.4%
Witnesses of violence: 7.3%
Natural disaster victims: 3.8%
What are the Symptoms of PTSD?
Most of the symptoms of PTSD can fit under one of four categories:
Re-experiencing
Avoidance
Reactivity
Cognition and Mood
Re-experiencing or reliving the event is oftentimes associated with memories, nightmares, flashbacks, or “triggers” that remind someone suffering from PTSD of the traumatic event, such as words, objects, sounds, smells, or situations. These symptoms can manifest physically, such as with a racing heart, sweating, and other stress responses, or they can cause extreme mood changes.
Examples of re-experiencing:
Experiencing flashbacks
Having recurring memories or dreams related to the event
Having continual distressing thoughts about the event
Noticing that triggers have developed
Avoidance is a tactic that is characterized by conscious and insistent attempts by someone with PTSD to avoid triggers to the point that the avoidance interferes with their daily life. Again, triggers can be anything from news stories to smells to situations like crowds, being in specific places, or seeing a person that is associated with their trauma. It can also be the avoidance of thoughts and feelings related to the traumatic event, which in turn, prohibits the brain's ability to move on from the event.
Examples of avoidance:
Refusing to go into a grocery store where a traumatic event happened
Changing the subject or leaving when the event is spoken of
Overworking or keeping busy so that there is no time to think about the event
Reactivity or arousal is the state described as constantly being jittery, on edge, alert, or on the lookout for danger that isn’t there. These symptoms never seem to go away, and in turn, it affects daily tasks, quality of life, and can lead to personality changes and moodiness, such as extended periods of irritability or angry outbursts or suddenly engaging in risky, aggressive, or destructive behavior.
Examples of reactivity:
Being easily startled
Having difficulty concentrating
Having difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
Mood swings
Suddenly taking up destructive habits like smoking, drug use, or excessive drinking
Cognition and mood symptoms have to do with the altering of memory, thoughts and feelings about the world or self, or developing mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. These symptoms affect the way that someone perceives the world, their relationships, society, or the event itself, which can worsen the PTSD, slow the healing process, and create other issues.
Examples of cognition and mood:
Having trouble remembering key features of the traumatic event
Experiencing a high volume of negative thoughts
Having exaggerated feelings of blame
Having ongoing negative emotions such as fear, anger, guilt, or shame
Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed
Experiencing social isolation or losing trust in the world or people
The absence of positive emotions such as happiness or satisfaction
How is PTSD Treated?
PTSD is treated with a variety of different therapies and by mental health professionals who have specialties in trauma and PTSD. This can be anything from psychotherapy (also called talk therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy) approaches such as exposure therapy, cognitive restructuring, or EMDR to medication prescribed by a medical professional.
It’s been proven that having a strong support system after a traumatic event can promote a faster recovery, and that remaining mindful of your emotions, surroundings, and daily life can soothe some symptoms. By remaining patient with yourself and your condition, as well as staying away from destructive coping methods that would exacerbate the condition, the opportunity to heal is attainable.
Dawn Pendleton is an EMDR-Certified therapist in the Louisville area with specialties in trauma and PTSD. If you would like to schedule a consultation call with Dawn for an in-person or telehealth appointment, call her today at (502) 377-1690 or book an appointment now.
If you or someone you love is looking for a reliable, trustworthy counselor with specialties in the LGBTQIA+ community, sports and performance enhancement, and those affected by trauma, Dawn Pendleton of Pendleton Counseling Collaborative, EMDR-certified and Licensed Marriage and Family therapist, is currently accepting new clients. With over 20 years of experience working in both the public and private sectors of the mental health field, Dawn is licensed to provide in-person and telehealth services in both Kentucky and Indiana. Feel free to fill out an inquiry form with any additional questions, call (502) 377-1690, or visit her website to book an appointment.