Is It PTSD? How to Know & What to Do Next

After experiencing trauma, it’s normal to deal with the lingering effects. You may struggle with feelings of anxiety or symptoms of depression, or lose interest in some of your favorite activities. Perhaps this changes gradually with time, or the symptoms could persist and worsen, continuing to interfere with your everyday life.

How do you know if you’re simply experiencing an expected trauma response and processing what happened within a healthy timeframe, or if you’ve developed PTSD and need to seek help? Here are a few important signs that you have PTSD, and how you can take the first steps towards healing.

Flashbacks

You assumed that you had put your traumatic experiences behind you - but nightmares and intrusive flashbacks plague you when you least expect it. It’s not uncommon for you to feel like you’re reliving the event as though it’s happening for the first time.

These flashbacks can be accompanied by physical symptoms like chills, panic attacks, or a racing heart rate. Whether they’re frequent or only occur once in a while, they can leave you feeling re-traumatized.

Avoidance

Many people with PTSD try to avoid people, places, and things that remind them of traumatic events. If you develop certain triggers related to your trauma, you will likely go out of your way to avoid encountering them.

Avoidance can also mean avoiding social situations in general - you might turn down most invitations from your loved ones and isolate yourself out of fear. This can cause your family and friends to worry about your well-being.

Behavior Changes

The behavioral changes that someone with PTSD might experience can seem similar to the shifts that a person with bipolar disorder deals with, but they are different in nature. However, it can feel like an emotional rollercoaster.

Maybe you were generally calm and stoic before experiencing trauma, but now, you are quick to react with anger. Some may view your outbursts as irrational, but you find it hard to hold back. Your nervous system sends signals that you are in danger, so you respond strongly even in low-stakes scenarios.

Easily Startled

An irritated driver honking their horn in traffic. A dog barking at a stranger. A firework going off in the distance. All of these sounds can seem like normal background noise to some, but for a person with PTSD, it can send their startle reflex into overdrive. They may consciously know that they are not in any real danger, but their body will react as though they are being actively threatened.

It’s not uncommon for a random bump in the night to wake up someone with PTSD and make it very difficult for them to fall back asleep. Their tendency to be jumpy can make it hard to concentrate and focus.

The Path to Healing

If you recognize any of these symptoms, you may want to think about starting therapy to manage and treat PTSD. Working with the right therapist can be a highly effective treatment for this condition, and simply receiving a professional diagnosis can feel like a relief. It can take many sessions, but many people with PTSD see a major difference after working with a therapist for a while.

Today, there are many different modalities for helping people with PTSD. Somatic experiencing is a body-based approach that addresses the vagus nerve system. Contrary to popular belief, trauma is not stored in the mind or memories of the events. It resides in the nervous system. Somatic experiencing means focusing on the root of the problem rather than merely treating the symptoms.

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Are you dealing with PTSD symptoms and wondering if somatic experiencing might be the right choice for you? Contact me today to discuss PTSD therapy and let's schedule your first session soon.