This page was last updated on: March 17, 2002
WHAT IS POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER?
You have experienced a traumatic event, or a series of traumatic events. The event may be over, but you may now be experiencing or may experience later some strong emotions or physical reactions. It is very common, in fact, quite normal for people to experience emotional shocks when they have passed through a horrible event.
Sometimes the emotional aftershocks (or stress reactions) appear immediately after the traumatic event. Sometimes they may appear a few hours or a few days later. And, in some cases, weeks or months may pass before the stress reactions appear.
The signs and symptoms of a stress reaction may last a few days, a few weeks, or a few months and occasionally longer depending on the severity of the traumatic event. With the understanding and the support of loved ones, stress reactions usually pass more quickly. Occasionally, the traumatic event(s) is so painful that professional assistance from a counselor may be necessary. This does not imply craziness or weakness. It simply indicates that the particular trauma was just too powerful to manage without help.
Here are some very common signs and signals of a stress reaction:
(* Definite indication of the need for medical evaluation!)
Physical Signs
Fatigue
Muscle tremors
Twitches
Chest pain*
Difficulty breathing*
Elevated blood pressure
Rapid heart rate
Thirst
Visual difficulties
Vomiting
Nausea
Grinding of teeth
Weakness
Dizziness
Profuse sweating
Chills
Shock symptoms*
Fainting
Cognitive Signs
Blaming someone
Confusion
Poor attention
Poor decisions
Heightened or lowered alertness
Hyper-vigilance
Poor concentration
Memory problems
Poor problem solving
Difficulty identifying familiar objects or people
Increased or decreased awareness of surroundings
Loss of time, place, or person orientation
Disturbed thinking
Nightmares
Intrusive images
Poor abstract thinking
Emotional Signs
Anxiety
Guilt
Grief
Denial
Uncertainty
Severe panic (rare)
Emotional shock
Fear
Agitation
Depression
Apprehension
Irritability
Inappropriate emotional response
Intense anger
Feeling overwhelmed
Loss of emotional control
etc.
Behavioral Signs
Change in activity
Change in speech patterns
Emotional outbursts
Suspiciousness
Withdrawal
Inability to rest
Change in usual communications
Hyper-alert to environment
Loss or increase of appetite
Alcohol consumption
Antisocial acts
Non-specific bodily complaints
Startle reflex intensified
Pacing
Erratic movements
Change in sexual functioning
etc.
Source:
Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health
PTSD Characteristics In Veterans:
INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS AND FLASHBACKS:
Replaying military experiences in their minds, searching for alternative outcomes. Flashbacks triggered by everyday experiences: helicopters, the smell of urine, the smell of diesel fuel, the smell of mold, the smell of Asian food cooking, green tree lines, popcorn popping, rainy days, and refugees.
ISOLATION:
He has few friends. Isolates family emotionally and sometimes geographically. Fantasizes about being a hermit, moving away from his problems. Believes no one can understand and no one would listen if he tried to talk about his experiences. Isolates himself from his partner, family, and others with a "leave me alone" attitude. He needs no one.
EMOTIONAL NUMBING:
Cold, aloof, uncaring, detached. Constant fear of "losing control"... "
I may never stop crying!"
DEPRESSION:
Sense of helplessness, worthlessness, and dejection. Lacks self esteem and suffers from great insecurity. Feels undeserving of good feelings. Seems unable to handle it when things are going well, and may appear to try to be sabotaging the situation.
ANGER:
Quiet, masked rage which is frightening to the veteran and to those around them. Sublimating the rage against inanimate objects. Unable to handle or identify frustrations. Unexplainable, inappropriate anger.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE:
Used primarily to numb the painful memories of past experiences. Heavy
use of alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, and other drugs.
GUILT/SUICIDAL THOUGHTS and FEELINGS:
Self-destructive behavior. Hopeless physical fights, single car accidents, compulsive blood donors. Self inflicted injuries to feel pain - many accidents with power tools. High suicide rate. Financial suicide. As soon as things are well off, doing something to lose it all, or walking away from it. Survivor's Guilt when others have died around them. "How is it that I survived when others more worthy than I did not?" (more so with medical personnel)
ANXIETY or NERVOUSNESS:
Uncomfortable when people walk close behind them or sit behind them. Conditioned suspicion, he trusts no one. Startled responses.
EMOTIONAL CONSTRICTION:
Unresponsive to self, therefore unresponsive to others. Unable to express or share feelings, cannot talk about personal emotions. Unable to achieve intimacy with family, partner, or friends.
DENIAL:
Unable to admit that he has any of the above symptoms or that he may have PTSD. May deny that his military experience could have anything to do with his attitude. In extreme cases, will deny that he was even in the military. Unwilling to seek help. Trusts no one.
Reprinted from: The Birmingham News
Feb 9. 1998 - Health & Family Section
A MULTITUDE of PHYSICAL PROBLEMS
Wives, Families, and Close Friends:
MEMORIES:
Preoccupation with the veteran. Constant tension and anxiety because she never "knows what he'll do next". Critical or self-righteous martyr attitude because of "what he has put me through". Continual manipulation of veteran and/or circumstances in order to be in control in a situation that is out of control.
ISOLATION:
May have few friends or be unable to relate to friends as she would like to because Vet has alienated them with his attitude and actions in the past. Vet has isolated family and/or is jealous of them. She has alienated friends because of her constant family hassles. The friends and family she does have tell her to get rid of him.
EMOTIONAL NUMBING:
Sexual problems. She feels that she cannot be truly intimate with the vet. Distrust of God, "how could he let this happen?" Low self esteem. Escapes into fantasy world, TV, thoughts of affairs, compulsive buying, etc. May lean on children, friends, or mother too heavily for emotional support.
DEPRESSION:
Sense of helplessness and hopelessness, "tired of trying." Low self esteem, evidenced by poor appearance, dirty home, etc.
ANGER and OTHER RELATED EMOTIONS:
Resentment and bitterness developed over the years not only toward vet, but others. Withdrawal from vet and family emotionally. Constant fear and anxiety. May provoke or instigate fights or arguments with vet or take it out on the kids.
OVER RESPONSIBILITY: (the "Enabler")
In an attempt to keep the family stable, may take over the financial and other responsibilities as well as the "wife" and "mother" roles leading to such traits as: think and feel responsible for others, perfectionism, feels-save when giving, nagging or silence, peace at any price, does things out of sense of duty, feelings of anxiety, pity, guilt, need to "help" husband and others, harried and pressured, constant time pressure, blame the husband or children for spot they are in, feelings of anger, victimization, feeling a lack of appreciation, and being used.
GUILT:
Guilt for having married a vet as well as guilt for thoughts of leaving him. Sorry for putting the children through trauma. Constant financial stress, never knowing how they will be able to pay mounting bills, how long he will work or fault, if I were a better wife, he would be different". Feels guilty about spending money on themselves or having a hard time just having fun. Feels guilty about just about everything. Fears rejection. Often comes from troubled, dysfunctional family.
STRESS:
Feels that if "one more thing happens, I'll loose my mind". Over-commitment leading to constant time pressure.
EMOTIONAL EXPLOSIONS OR PROJECTION:
Take out frustrations on the children. Children may become severely withdrawn or demanding, hyperactive, and agitated. Children may have less friends because of a negative home environment leading to their loss of self esteem. They may try to find fulfillment in other worthy causes, including getting overly involved in the church, children's activities, and other "worthy" organizations or projects.
DENIAL:
Denies that she or the children have problems... "after all, in spite of the circumstances, look how well I keep it together!" Denial that husband has problem or totally blames vet for ALL the problems. Denial that the Lord or others can help her husband or her family.
Sites that vets and/or their families might find helpful. They are for Mental Health and only one is VA or military connected (The National Center for PTSD the last link on the list).
1. Zoloft.com -has info on depression, PTSD (FIRST drug approved for long-term treatment of PTSD), panic disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
3. Anxiety Disorders Association of America
4. Anxiety and Depression Resource Organization since 1984 - Freedom From Fear
5. International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
6. The National Mental Health Association - Leading the Way for America's Mental Health
7. PTSD - FACTS FOR HEALTH - A reliable and unbiased public service site about post traumatic stress disorder. The site provides up-to-date, factual information, a self-test, and a fully searchable database of clinicians who treat this disorder. The site also provides a free, on-line consulting medical education course for medical professionals.
8. The Sidran Traumatic Stress Institute
9. National DMDA - National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association
10. AFSP - American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to advancing knowledge of suicide and ability to prevent it.
11. Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation
12. Coping.org - Tools for Coping with Life's Stressors
15. NAMI
(National Alliance for the Mentally Ill)
- The Nation's Voice on Mental Illness
16. National
Library Service for the Blind & Physically Handicapped
- Other useful web site
