Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, also referred to as PTSD, is not a popular topic in today's culture, and it never really has been. Many of us know PTSD from our history class, where we were taught that Civil soldiers displayed its symptoms often, and it was dubbed 'Soldier's Heart'. Walt Whitman even wrote a poem about it, called “The Artilleryman's Vision,” detailing the flashback of a Civil War veteran. Later on, in World War I, it was called Shell Shock. During World War II, it earned a similar, yet more academic name: Combat Stress Reaction.
Because of the military-focused history of PTSD’s names, we often mainly associate Post-Traumatic Stress with active-combat veterans. So when we do talk about it, it’s often in a military context.
But PTSD isn't just for veterans.
Before I go any further, this article contains several words and mentions of traumatic instances, some of which may be triggering to those with PTSD. If you suffer from PTSD and you believe this may set off an episode, I urge you to please discontinue reading. If you are truly invested in this article, I suggest you bookmark this page and read it with another trusted friend or person in order to safeguard yourself.
Because of the low rate of discussion surrounding PTSD, many of its sufferers do not know its symptoms, and thus, don't even realize what they're suffering from. Even after a diagnosis, it is not uncommon that friends and family don't understand what PTSD is, how it is caused, or how to be sensitive to their loved one who deals with it. I'm here to break down that barrier, for once.
First of all, PTSD is the result of any traumatic event to be encountered. This could be sexual assault, rape, witnessing domestic violence, a robbery, active-duty combat, a mugging, a car accident, the death of a loved one, and many other instances.
Sometimes, a person may encounter multiple traumas in your life, each having its own triggers and reactions. I know a woman who is a Marine Corps veteran, and suffers from PTSD, but not just from active combat. She was gang-raped on her military base. The causes of PTSD can have a property of multiplicity.
A trigger, contrary to popular memes, is not something that slightly offends you because of its distasteful nature. A trigger is something that sets off an episode of any number of symptoms associated with PTSD.
The way triggers work is as follows: the hippocampus, the part of the brain processing the memory of the trauma as it occurs, also records our sensory intake. However, it also sometimes accidentally crosses wires with the amygdala, our brain’s alarm system, and records the amygdala's response as a part of the memory.
Therefore, when we encounter those sights, smells, tastes, feelings, and sounds associated with that memory, not only are we reminded of our trauma, but the hippocampus, having crossed wires with the amygdala during trauma, is also screaming at the amygdala, “Hey!!! Look!!! Listen!!! Over here!!! Danger!!!”.The amygdala then begins to go off again, just as it did during the trauma.
Good job, Hippocampus.
As an example, many men and women who have been sexually assaulted, simply saying, reading, or hearing the word “rape” can set off an episode, because often, the only thing one can think is, “Oh my God, I'm being raped, this is happening to me.” This was certainly a problem for me. Those encountering domestic violence may panic at the sound of glass breaking, or things falling.
Some persons who have been in car wrecks resulting in the syndrome may be triggered by the scent of burning rubber. If you had a sick friend or family member who passed, one may be upset with being in a hospital. Many sufferers avoid the place where their trauma occurred, or places like it.
As a result, many choose to avoid their triggers and thinking about the trauma. One may say, “Well, that's not healthy, you have to deal with it,” and that is most certainly correct. This is why many sufferers attend trauma therapy, in order to learn how to cope with our symptoms. First we think about it in a safe setting with our therapist, and then on our own.
It is only during a certain point during recovery from PTSD in which one learns to handle these triggers, and to be comfortable with their wounds and how they got them. They no longer panic at their triggers, and have successfully retrained their brain. But for those who still do, they may display a wide variety of symptoms when presented with those triggers.triggers, and to be comfortable with their wounds and how they got them. They no longer panic at their triggers, and have successfully retrained their brain. But for those who still do, they may display a wide variety of symptoms when presented with those triggers.
The most obvious symptom one would encounter in reaction to a trigger, would be having panic attack. PTSD is classified as an anxiety disorder, so it would only make sense that those afflicted suffer from anxiety associated with their triggers. Many often suffer from flashbacks, which are detailed visions of the trauma, during which you may feel like you are actually experiencing the trauma all over again.
Even without triggers, those with PTSD encounter a large range of symptoms. Some deal with hypervigilance, trust issues, hostility, agitation, irritability, nightmares, and insomnia. PTSD is also often comorbid with depression (although not necessarily vice-versa).
There is no simple, quick or easy way to describe PTSD. It comes in many shapes and sizes, and it comes to people from all walks of life, without discrimination. PTSD is not something that can be shortened into five or six paragraphs, and I applaud you if you've stuck this long throughout the article.
If you feel you are dealing with PTSD, I strongly urge you to contact a physician to seek treatment. There is help for you, and I promise, it does actually help.
Just hang in there.
