PTSD Explained By Shahela Sheikh
What Is PTSD Or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? – By Shahela Sheikh
Do you have a friend or family who seems to be scared and depressed after a terrifying event? They might be going through PTSD.
What is post-traumatic stress disorder?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that is triggered by a terrifying event -either experiencing it or witnessing it. Most people who go through traumatic events may have temporary difficulty adjusting and coping, but with time and good self-care, they usually get better.
The events include an accident, a terrorist attack, war, sexual abuse, witnessing barbaric torture, assault, threats to a person’s life etc.
PTSD expresses itself with intense anxiety that causes symptoms that are usually haunting memories of a victim.
What are some of the symptoms frequently experienced by people going through?
1. Intrusive thoughts are among the first symptoms, these are intrusive memories of repeatedly living the traumatic event in your thoughts, they present flashbacks that are very vivid and paralyze you from your normal activities.
2. Most people that are suffering from PTSD, avoid certain reminders, eg, place, people or thing that take them back to relive the traumatic event.
3. Negative thoughts and feelings (e.g., “I am bad,” “No one can be trusted”,” I deserved what happened to me”).
4. Experiencing anger, shame, guilt, or fear is also a common symptom.
Treatment of PTSD:
Challenge your sense of helplessness:
Learn about trauma and PTSD
Join a PTSD support group
Practice relaxation techniques
Pursue outdoor activities
Confide in a person you trust
Spend time with positive people
Avoid alcohol and drugs
Enjoy the peace of nature
Get moving
Develop a healthy lifestyle i.e., a healthy diet, no alcohol, meditation and exercising
Seek therapy (trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy, family therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy could all help with PTSD).
Shahela Sheikh – Psychologist
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