Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

What is PTSD?

PTSD or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a mental health condition that can develop after witnessing or experiencing a life-threatening traumatic event. PTSD can have a significant impact on a person's mental health as well as on family members and loved ones.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder has gone by many names throughout history, the majority of which are associated with war such as "soldier's heart," ”shell shock” and “war neurosis.” However, PTSD is not exclusive to war veterans. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition experienced across all age groups, nationalities, cultures, and ethnicities and is caused by a wide range of traumatic events.

If you are seeking trauma-related symptoms or PTSD symptoms after a traumatic experience, it's important that you seek advice from your GP or a mental health professional.

What is a Traumatic Event?

A traumatic event is an experience that threatens the life of a person or someone close to them, placing them at serious risk of harm or death. It may be that the event was experienced firsthand, or witnessed. Examples include:

  • Domestic violence, abuse, sexual assault

  • A mother or partner involved in a traumatic childbirth

  • Serious illnesses

  • Motor accidents

  • Natural disasters including earthquakes, flooding, pandemics

  • Unexpected death

Does everyone who experiences trauma develop PTSD?

Not everyone develops PTSD following traumatic experiences. According to the NHS, two in three people that develop problems after a traumatic experience get better within a few weeks without treatment.

Risk Factors influencing the likelihood of developing PTSD:

Pre-trauma factors

  • Personal or family history of mental illness or substance use

  • History of traumatic experiences

  • Personality factors

  • Being female

Trauma factors

  • Severity of trauma

  • Physical injury

Post-trauma factors

  • Brain injury or severity of pain

  • Availability of social support after traumatic experiences

  • Stressors after the event such as the loss of a loved one, pain and injury, or financial stress

PTSD Symptoms

The following section details common PTSD symptoms. These symptoms can vary between each person. Additionally, PTSD symptoms also include anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems.

Reliving Traumatic Memories

  • Disturbing dreams or nightmares about a traumatic event

  • Recurring and intrusive memories

  • Flashbacks of the traumatic event - Flashbacks may present through vivid experiences in which specific details or moments are remembered or felt as if they were occurring in the present moment. These include details of imagery, sounds, smells, tastes, physical sensations, or emotions.

  • Things that remind you of traumatic experiences trigger distress or strong physical reactions.

  • A regular stream of negative thoughts about an experience such as questioning why the event happened to them or what they could have done to prevent it.

Symptoms of Avoidance

Many people with post-traumatic stress disorder attempt to distract themselves by engaging in activities that divert thoughts from traumatic events and negative emotions. Others may attempt to avoid feeling anything at all, known as emotional numbing. Some of the most common avoidance behaviours include avoiding talking or thinking about traumatic events, and avoiding places, activities or people that remind you of the traumatic events

PTSD Symptoms of Increased Arousal ('on edge')

  • Overly alert, paranoid, or easily startled

  • Trouble sleeping such as insomnia

  • Irritability or outbursts of anger

  • Lack of concentration

How Can I Get Help If I Have Symptoms of PTSD?

Talking therapies are effective in treating PTSD and trauma symptoms. Counselling and Psychotherapy, Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) can be used to effectively treat symptoms of trauma and PTSD. St. Martin’s counselling has a team of professional therapists with experience treating PTSD and a wide range of other mental health conditions.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to Treat PTSD

CBT therapy is the most commonly used therapeutic method to treat PTSD. Cognitive restructuring and exposure therapy are CBT techniques shown to significantly reduce symptoms of PTSD.

How to support someone with PTSD?

It is often difficult to know what to do in the event that someone you love is struggling with trauma or PTSD. People with PTSD often withdraw from family and friends out of feelings of shame, guilt, or not wanting to be a burden to others. A few tips can help you provide support for someone with PTSD:

  • Learn about PTSD and trauma to understand what they are going through and what to expect

  • Listen with patience and don't judge

  • Don't pressure someone with PTSD into talking

  • Avoid saying things that could trivialise the person’s feelings

  • Help them to relax and get involved in activities and hobbies that they enjoy

Commonly asked questions about PTSD

  • A number of careers are associated with higher rates of PTSD due to the increased risk of exposure to traumatic events. These professionals include:

    Military service, law enforcement, fire service, emergency services, first responders, ambulance workers, and healthcare workers.

  • Complex PTSD (c-PTSD or CPTSD) is a related condition to Post-Traumatic Stress disorder that is more likely to develop when repeated traumatic experiences:

    Occur at an early age, last for extended periods, make escape or rescue unlikely or impossible, occur multiple times or continuously, or are caused by someone close to you.