PTSD: Trauma

By: Elizabeth Lynch

                   Every day you unknowingly pass by, interact with, or speak to someone who is suffering from PTSD. In the US alone 70% of adults experience some kind of trauma throughout their life; 20% of them will develop PTSD from the events they faced. While PTSD is known to develop more frequently in women than in men this mental illness does not discriminate across gender, race, sexual orientation, social status, or age. This is what many people don’t realize about PTSD. It doesn’t just affect those who go off to war. It can affect anyone who experienced a major trauma.

Experiencing the following could lead to the development of PTSD:

1.        Sexual Assault or Rape
2.        Severe beating or physical assault
3.        Serious accident or injury (car or train accident)
4.        Being a victim of or witnessing a shooting or stabbing
5.        Sudden, unexpected death of a family member or friend
6.        Child’s life-threatening illness which can affect both child and parents
7.        Witness to murder or serious injury
8.        Natural disasters

Look for the signs:

       Behavioral

• Irritability
• Social Isolation
• Self-Destructive Behavior
• Hyper-vigilance
• Easily Startled

       Psychological

• Flashbacks
• Mistrust
• Avoidance of places, people, or things that serve as a reminder of trauma
• Difficulty Remembering

       Sleep

• Frequently Disturbed
• Nightmares/Terrors
• Insomnia
• Bed wetting

       Mood

• Guilt
• Loneliness
• Loss of interest
• Hopelessness
• Fear
• Tension/ Anxiety

If you or a loved one appears to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, the licensed psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy can assist you. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

• https://www.sidran.org/resources/for-survivors-and-loved-ones/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-fact-sheet/
• https://www.dualdiagnosis.org/mental-health-and-addiction/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-and-addiction/medications/
• https://adaa.org/living-with-anxiety/children/posttraumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/symptoms
• https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml
• Photo From: http://pnpcenter.com/index.php/disorders/ptsd-post-traumatic-stress-disorder