Table of Contents
How does PTSD show up in the body?
People with PTSD may also experience physical symptoms, such as increased blood pressure and heart rate, fatigue, muscle tension, nausea, joint pain, headaches, back pain or other types of pain. The person in pain may not realize the connection between their pain and a traumatic event. But one of the most pervasive symptoms of PTSD is not directly related to emotions at all: individuals suffering from a stress-related disorder experience cognitive difficulties ranging from memory loss to an impaired ability to learn new things. Triggers can include sights, sounds, smells, or thoughts that remind you of the traumatic event in some way. Some PTSD triggers are obvious, such as seeing a news report of an assault. Others are less clear. For example, if you were attacked on a sunny day, seeing a bright blue sky might make you upset. Many Veterans, particularly those with PTSD, are distressed by certain smells, such as those of burning rubber, gunpowder, and various flammable liquids. One study found, for instance, that 93 percent of combat Veterans with PTSD reported being distressed by the smell of burning rubber.
What does PTSD look like in a woman?
Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms include: Reliving the event, sometimes through nightmares or flashbacks. Physical symptoms, like a racing heart or sweating, may also occur. Avoiding situations that remind of the event. Suffering from severe fear, anxiety, or depression. Unable to form close, satisfying relationships. Experiencing terrifying memories, nightmares, or flashbacks. Avoiding more and more anything that reminds you of the trauma. Initial reactions to trauma can include exhaustion, confusion, sadness, anxiety, agitation, numbness, dissociation, confusion, physical arousal, and blunted affect. Most responses are normal in that they affect most survivors and are socially acceptable, psychologically effective, and self-limited. Posttraumatic stress disorder after the intense stress is a risk of development enduring personality changes with serious individual and social consequences. Trauma memories ignite ANS activation such as sweating, trembling or increased heart rate. The person senses their physical body and becomes aware of implicit physical actions they need to take to protect themselves (Wylie, M. S.). Researchers now show that people with posttraumatic stress disorder have an imbalance between two neurochemical systems in the brain, serotonin and substance P. The greater the imbalance, the more serious the symptoms patients have.
Is PTSD noticeable?
In most cases, the symptoms develop during the first month after a traumatic event. But in a minority of cases, there may be a delay of months or even years before symptoms start to appear. Some people with PTSD experience long periods when their symptoms are less noticeable, followed by periods where they get worse. How long does PTSD last? The course of the illness will vary from person to person and event to event. Some people may experience PTSD recovery within six months, while others have PTSD symptoms that last much longer. PTSD can also become chronic. People with PTSD may also experience physical symptoms, such as increased blood pressure and heart rate, fatigue, muscle tension, nausea, joint pain, headaches, back pain or other types of pain. The person in pain may not realize the connection between their pain and a traumatic event. Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms include: Reliving the event, sometimes through nightmares or flashbacks. Physical symptoms, like a racing heart or sweating, may also occur. Avoiding situations that remind of the event. Rare cases of PTSD may involve auditory hallucinations and paranoid ideation. Individuals who experience auditory hallucinations may experience tinnitus, a constant ringing in one’s ears, or they may hear a voice or set of voices that are not physically present. PTSD makes it difcult to have close relationships. It can also make it hard to have an active sex life or enjoy intimacy. Sexual problems are common in people with PTSD, regardless of the type of trauma experienced.
What does mild PTSD look like?
Symptoms of uncomplicated PTSD include: avoidance of trauma reminders, nightmares, flashbacks to the event, irritability, mood changes and changes in relationships. Uncomplicated PTSD can be treated through therapy, medication or a combination of both. PTSD is treatable and with professional help your brain can return to normal functioning. The leading evidence-based treatment for PTSD is Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR). Survivors often struggle with intense anger and impulses. In order to suppress angry feelings and actions, they may avoid closeness. They may push away or find fault with loved ones and friends. Also, drinking and drug problems, which can be an attempt to cope with PTSD, can destroy intimacy and friendships. Your brain is equipped with an alarm system that normally helps ensure your survival. With PTSD, this system becomes overly sensitive and triggers easily. In turn, the parts of your brain responsible for thinking and memory stop functioning properly. Previous studies have shown that another brain structure, the hippocampus, is smaller in people with PTSD than in those without the disorder.
What does a PTSD response look like?
Intrusive memories Recurrent, unwanted distressing memories of the traumatic event. Reliving the traumatic event as if it were happening again (flashbacks) Upsetting dreams or nightmares about the traumatic event. Severe emotional distress or physical reactions to something that reminds you of the traumatic event. Ever since people’s responses to overwhelming experiences have been systematically explored, researchers have noted that a trauma is stored in somatic memory and expressed as changes in the biological stress response. Memory loss caused by a damaged hippocampus can increase anxiety, flashbacks, and disjointed perceptions of the past. It also can interfere with the creation of new long-term memories. Fortunately, this change is not permanent, and the hippocampus can be repaired with treatment. If you live with complex trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), trauma dumping or oversharing could be a natural trauma response and coping mechanism.
What organ is affected by PTSD?
Hippocampus. A hallmark feature of PTSD is reduced hippocampal volume. The hippocampus is implicated in the control of stress responses, declarative memory, and contextual aspects of fear conditioning. A growing body of research also shows that individuals with PTSD are at elevated risk for engaging in a number of impulsive and risky behaviors, including substance abuse, risky sexual behavior, non-suicidal self-injury, and eating disordered behavior. Trauma survivors with PTSD may have trouble with their close family relationships or friendships. The symptoms of PTSD can cause problems with trust, closeness, communication, and problem solving which, in turn, may impact the way a loved one responds to the trauma survivor. It’s possible to create a healthy relationship with someone living with PTSD, and like all relationships, patience, understanding, compassion, and clear communication are key. “People with PTSD feel like they are going crazy and are all alone in their condition. And the partner feels exactly the same,” Wen says. “Often what we see in our clinic is that couples therapy becomes a gateway into individual treatment,” Wen shares.
Does PTSD damage the brain?
According to recent studies, Emotional Trauma and PTSD do cause both brain and physical damage. Neuropathologists have seen overlapping effects of physical and emotional trauma upon the brain. Symptoms of PTSD are hypothesized to represent the behavioral manifestation of stress-induced changes in brain structure and function. Stress results in acute and chronic changes in neurochemical systems and specific brain regions, which result in longterm changes in brain “circuits,” involved in the stress response. Conclusion: Finding that appears relatively consistent is that PTSD is positively related to negative emotionality, neuroticism, harm avoidance, novelty-seeking and self-transcendence, as well as to trait hostility/anger and trait anxiety. Traumatic reactions can include a variety of responses, such as intense and ongoing emotional upset, depressive symptoms or anxiety, behavioral changes, difficulties with self-regulation, problems relating to others or forming attachments, regression or loss of previously acquired skills, attention and academic … Ever since people’s responses to overwhelming experiences have been systematically explored, researchers have noted that a trauma is stored in somatic memory and expressed as changes in the biological stress response. Triggers can include sights, sounds, smells, or thoughts that remind you of the traumatic event in some way. Some PTSD triggers are obvious, such as seeing a news report of an assault. Others are less clear. For example, if you were attacked on a sunny day, seeing a bright blue sky might make you upset.