Most of us will at some time in our life experience at least one serious traumatic event. It is natural to suffer consequences to these events, but most of us will recover after a short time and life will go on as before. This article focuses on the times when the consequences do not go away, and thus affect the person’s ability to live a normal life as before.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is the term given to a mental health condition that affects victims of a serious event or collection of events. These events are often attached to high levels of fear and are extremely overwhelming and distressing, causing severe trauma to the sufferer. Here is a short list of the most common experiences that cause PTSD:
* Disasters (natural & man-made)
* Serious Abuse (psychological & sexual – including rape)
* Serious Accidents (road traffic, aeroplane etc.)
* Serious Loss (family, freedom, possessions, lifestyle)
* Violent Crimes (kidnapping, robbery, attacks)
* Warfare (combat, torture)
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder can also affect those who receive secondary exposure to the aforementioned as in friends and family of the victim or in helping professions (police, fire, medical, reporters, counsellors etc.)
The disorder usually develops a few months after the event but it can sometimes take several months or even years to materialise. PTSD is diagnosed by means of continuous suffering with symptoms such as:
* Social Anxiety – in order to reduce exposure to a reminder of or a perceived threat of the event
occurring again.
* Irrationality – new formed beliefs that are mostly general and irrational, including emotions like shame
and guilt. Also, reactions to external stimuli causing acute anxiety and panic.
* Flashbacks – recollections of the event in sharp and vivid detail.
* Nightmares – recollections of the event experienced whilst sleeping.
* Insomnia – trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep.
* Mood Swings – extreme swings in mood, often including angry and violent outbursts.
* Relationships – inability to foster relationships with people as before.
Traditional methods of treatment have been a combination of medication and talk therapy. Generally, the better the support that a victim has, the more chance of a recovery is possible. Those that have no or poor support can easily fall into depression, develop further panic disorders and resort to ‘self-medication’ with alcohol and/or drug abuse. In fact, a high percentage of sufferers of PTSD develop co-occurance addictions.
Help is Here
Although it is noted that treatment is easier if applied as early as possible, I do find that my work with PTSD clients is usually at a point where they feel that they have tried other means of help but are not fully satisfied with the results. Often they are at a point where they still cannot shift the underlying trigger points and so still suffer from the harsh symptoms of the PTSD. My toolbox of strategies includes some specific applications that have been noted to be successful in treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in a less invasive and much faster process than conventional treatment methods.
Furthermore, coaching is a great added benefit to those that begin to emerge from the restrictions of the disorder. Coaching helps support and bridge to a new future. Clients set new goals and start to achieve a life that can be enjoyed once more.
Whatever your position is right now, if you would like to find out more about how I can help with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, then please connect with me.