Have you ever had a painful accident that negatively affected you for a while? Have you suffered from anxiety and stress after a psychological trauma, after which you were unable to carry out your simple daily tasks? You may have once experienced a distressing event or psychological harm that left you suffering for weeks, or perhaps years. The anxiety and confusion you felt is known as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
In simple words, imagine a person who was involved in a traffic accident as a result of excessive speed; if they are diagnosed with PTSD, you will find them unwilling to drive a car and/or feeling anxious and afraid when on the road. You will find that they spontaneously regain memories of everything that happened if a car they are in exceeds the permissible speed limit. Their physiological functions are affected; their heartbeat accelerates, their sweating rate increases, and in some cases, they may experience uncontrollable panic attacks.
So, what is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?
It is a mental psychological disorder that affects a person as a result of exposure to harmful psychological causes, such as a traffic accident or sexual assault, exposure to theft or domestic violence, or witnessing an environmental disaster or an armed conflict. The disorder is characterized by recurring, painful memories of the incident experienced that result in feelings of intense fear, which affect the way a person thinks and their mood, causing the following:
- Remembering the details of the harmful event when exposed to the same surrounding circumstances, which leads to severe nervous stress.
- Feeling excessive anxiety and confusion; if a person has previously witnessed a war or violent demonstrations, they will feel terrified if they hear the sound of an explosion, even if it is a car tire.
- Suffering from sleep disorders; a person may sleep for long hours or may suffer from insomnia due to frequent nightmares.
- A person may tend to withdraw and stay away from any surroundings that might remind them of the incident, including people, places, things, and even the simplest actions. For example, if a person receives news of the death of a relative via phone, it is likely that whenever the phone rings, they will feel confused and anxious.
- In some cases, there is a temporary loss of memory for some of its related events; a person may not remember how it started and how the events occurred.
The degree of vulnerability and disorder varies from one person to another depending on personality and the seriousness of the event; in general, we should not neglect or ignore the treatment of this disorder.
What is the treatment for PTSD? What are the basic steps that lead us to the stage of post-traumatic growth?
Treatment for this disorder is divided into psychotherapy and drug treatment: As for psychotherapy, it includes cognitive behavioral therapy that encourages the person to remember the incident and express their feelings, either with a psychotherapist or through support groups with a similar disorder, which makes them feel not alone. As for drug treatment, it includes antidepressants and tranquilizers prescribed by a doctor.
In order to go from PTSD to post-traumatic growth, the affected person must do the following:
- Develop developmental skills that increase personal flexibility, adaptation, and dealing with painful events.
- Change their view of the surrounding world and their awareness of reality and the unknown, and that life brings both good and evil; a person needs to accept things as they are with contentment and reassurance.
- Immersion in social relationships because social support plays an important role in the recovery process.
Finally, dealing with the disorder and taming it is an important part of the healing and recovery journey; it helps the affected accept the trauma and pushes them to get rid of the negative effects they suffer from in their daily life. The affected person needs to realize that reaction is normal and that recovery does not mean forgetting, but rather moving on. The difficult experiences we go through are not the end of the road, but rather the beginning of deeper growth and personal development that can change our lives for the better.
References
psychiatry.org
nhs.uk
medlineplus.gov
Cover image by Freepik.