TRAUMA AND PTSD
by Paul Lohkamp, MSW, LCSW
by Paul Lohkamp, MSW, LCSW
TRAUMA AND POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER
Have you had a traumatic experience that left you hurt and numb and are you having trouble
getting back to your regular life and relationships? You may be suffering from post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD).
When you have PTSD, it may seem like you’ll never feel normal again. But help is available. If you seek
treatment -- don’t quit, and reach out to others for support. You will be able to overcome the symptoms of
PTSD and move on with your life.
Some people experience multiple traumatic events or experiences, sometimes early in life. They may carry
the burdens of this throughout their life. It can affect their personality, outlook and relationships.
William’s Story: Four months ago, William was in a major car accident. He sustained only minor injuries, but
a friend riding in his car was killed. At first, the accident seemed like just a bad dream. Then William started
having nightmares about it: waking up in a cold sweat to the sound of crunching metal and breaking glass.
Now, the sights and sounds of the accident haunt him all the time. He has trouble sleeping at night, and
during the day he feels irritable and on edge. He jumps whenever he hears a siren or screeching tires, and
he avoids all TV programs that might show a car chase or accident scene. William also avoids driving
whenever possible, and refuses to go anywhere near the site of the crash.
What is PTSD? Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that can develop following a
traumatic event that threatens your safety or makes you feel helpless. We often associate PTSD with battle-
scarred soldiers – and military combat is a common cause in men – but any overwhelming life experience can
trigger PTSD, especially if the event is perceived as unpredictable and uncontrollable.
Frequent traumatic events that can lead to PTSD include:
These “large” type events are referred to as “big T” trauma. There can also be less catastrophic events
that cause PTSD symptoms, such as verbal abuse from parents, bullying in school, being stung by a wasp or
getting fired from a job. Some people can have lots of “small T” traumatic events in their lives, which have
resulted in low self-esteem, alcohol abuse or dependency, relationship problems, anxiety disorders, and
many other psychological and social relationship issues that affect quality of life.
Shelly’s story. When she was a child, Shelly was yelled at and criticized a lot by her father. Her mother was
sick a lot and became disabled when Shelly was a toddler. And when she was eight, Shelly was bullied by a
group of girls in her school. She grew up thinking at times that she was not good enough and not a likable
person. She compensated for this by spending her time and attention on her dog, Chewy. Later she worked
hard in school and went on to become a veterinarian’s assistant. Shelly’s mother died that same year.
A few years later, Shelly met a caring man, married and had two children. She thought she was doing well in
her life until a mistake happened at work and she was let go. After several weeks of unemployment, during
which time her husband made some critical remarks, she became very depressed and wanted to stay in
bed. She experienced her first anxiety attack, started thinking she was ill and was afraid she was going to
die.
PTSD is a response by normal people to abnormal, harsh or tragic situations. The traumatic events
that lead to PTSD are usually so overwhelming and frightening that they would upset anyone. When your
sense of safety and trust are shattered, it’s normal to feel disconnected or numb – and most people do. The
only difference between people who go on to develop PTSD and those who don’t is how they cope with the
trauma.
After a traumatic experience, the mind and the body are in shock. But as you make sense of what happened
and process your emotions, you usually come out of it. With PTSD, however, you remain in psychological
shock. Your memory of what happened and your feelings about it are disconnected. In order to move on, it’s
important to face and feel your memories and emotions.
Symptoms of PTSD: Almost everyone experiences at least some of the symptoms of PTSD, following a
traumatic event. These symptoms may be bad dreams, feeling fearful or numb, and finding it difficult to stop
thinking about what happened. Usually these symptoms are short-lived; they may last for several days or
even weeks, but they gradually lift.
If you have PTSD, however, the symptoms don’t decrease. In fact they may get worse. But PTSD doesn’t
always develop in the hours or days following a traumatic event, although this is most common. For some
people, the symptoms of PTSD may take weeks, months, or even years to develop. Sometimes symptoms
appear seemingly out of the blue. At other times, they are triggered by something that reminds you of the
original traumatic event, such as a noise, an image, certain words, or a smell. While everyone experiences
PTSD differently, there are three main types of symptoms, as listed below.
Re-experiencing the traumatic event
Finding help for PTSD: If you think that you or someone you care for has PTSD, it’s important to
seek help right away. PTSD is not a sign of weakness. In order to overcome you need to confront what
happened to you and learn to accept it as a part of your life. This is usually easier with the guidance and
support of an experienced therapist.
It’s only natural to want to avoid painful memories. But if you try to avoid facing it and “numbing” your
memories, PTSD usually gets worse. The symptoms emerge under stress or whenever you let down your
guard. This can really be exhausting. The avoidance and numbness will only hurt your ability to cope, harm
your relationships, and destroy your quality of life.
Some trauma sufferers have felt this numbness or avoidance, with resulting low self-esteem and other
psychological pain and problems, since they were children. If so they need to know they need not go on
suffering. It’s time to seek the right kind of help.
Finding a therapist for PTSD: Look for a professional who specialize in the treatment of trauma and
PTSD. Consider someone who makes you feel comfortable and safe, so there is no additional fear or
anxiety about the therapy. If a therapist doesn’t feel right, look for someone else. For therapy to work, you
need to feel respected, understood and confident that you have made a good choice.
Treatment for PTSD: Treatment for PTSD helps you face the trauma and any reminder of it.
When you are ready, you may be encouraged to recall and process the emotions and sensations you felt
during the original event. In addition to offering an outlet for emotions you’ve been bottling up, treatment for
PTSD will also help restore your sense of control and reduce the powerful hold the memory of the trauma
has on you and your life.
Types of treatments for PTSD
Reach out to others for support and help others: You may feel the need to withdraw from social
activities and your loved ones. But it’s important to stay connected to life and the people who care about you.
Support is vital to your recovery. If you feel you need additional support, you might consider a support
group. Ask for a group for survivors of the same type of trauma you went through.
Support groups for PTSD can help you feel less isolated and alone. They also provide invaluable
information on how to cope with symptoms and work towards recovery. Ask your therapist for a referral for a
support group. One of the best ways to reclaim your sense of power is by helping others. Taking positive
action directly challenges the sense of helplessness that contributes to trauma.
PTSD and the family: The symptoms of PTSD can result in job loss, substance abuse, conflict and other
stressful family problems. Letting your family member’s PTSD dominate your life while ignoring your own
needs often leads to burnout. In order to take care of your loved one, you first need to take care of yourself.
Learn all you can about PTSD. The more you know about the symptoms and treatment, the better you'll be
able to help and keep things in perspective.
Helping a loved one with PTSD
several other resources.]
Have you had a traumatic experience that left you hurt and numb and are you having trouble
getting back to your regular life and relationships? You may be suffering from post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD).
When you have PTSD, it may seem like you’ll never feel normal again. But help is available. If you seek
treatment -- don’t quit, and reach out to others for support. You will be able to overcome the symptoms of
PTSD and move on with your life.
Some people experience multiple traumatic events or experiences, sometimes early in life. They may carry
the burdens of this throughout their life. It can affect their personality, outlook and relationships.
William’s Story: Four months ago, William was in a major car accident. He sustained only minor injuries, but
a friend riding in his car was killed. At first, the accident seemed like just a bad dream. Then William started
having nightmares about it: waking up in a cold sweat to the sound of crunching metal and breaking glass.
Now, the sights and sounds of the accident haunt him all the time. He has trouble sleeping at night, and
during the day he feels irritable and on edge. He jumps whenever he hears a siren or screeching tires, and
he avoids all TV programs that might show a car chase or accident scene. William also avoids driving
whenever possible, and refuses to go anywhere near the site of the crash.
What is PTSD? Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that can develop following a
traumatic event that threatens your safety or makes you feel helpless. We often associate PTSD with battle-
scarred soldiers – and military combat is a common cause in men – but any overwhelming life experience can
trigger PTSD, especially if the event is perceived as unpredictable and uncontrollable.
Frequent traumatic events that can lead to PTSD include:
- War Rape
Natural disasters A car or plane crash
Kidnapping Violent assault
Sexual or physical abuse Medical procedures (especially in kids)
These “large” type events are referred to as “big T” trauma. There can also be less catastrophic events
that cause PTSD symptoms, such as verbal abuse from parents, bullying in school, being stung by a wasp or
getting fired from a job. Some people can have lots of “small T” traumatic events in their lives, which have
resulted in low self-esteem, alcohol abuse or dependency, relationship problems, anxiety disorders, and
many other psychological and social relationship issues that affect quality of life.
Shelly’s story. When she was a child, Shelly was yelled at and criticized a lot by her father. Her mother was
sick a lot and became disabled when Shelly was a toddler. And when she was eight, Shelly was bullied by a
group of girls in her school. She grew up thinking at times that she was not good enough and not a likable
person. She compensated for this by spending her time and attention on her dog, Chewy. Later she worked
hard in school and went on to become a veterinarian’s assistant. Shelly’s mother died that same year.
A few years later, Shelly met a caring man, married and had two children. She thought she was doing well in
her life until a mistake happened at work and she was let go. After several weeks of unemployment, during
which time her husband made some critical remarks, she became very depressed and wanted to stay in
bed. She experienced her first anxiety attack, started thinking she was ill and was afraid she was going to
die.
PTSD is a response by normal people to abnormal, harsh or tragic situations. The traumatic events
that lead to PTSD are usually so overwhelming and frightening that they would upset anyone. When your
sense of safety and trust are shattered, it’s normal to feel disconnected or numb – and most people do. The
only difference between people who go on to develop PTSD and those who don’t is how they cope with the
trauma.
After a traumatic experience, the mind and the body are in shock. But as you make sense of what happened
and process your emotions, you usually come out of it. With PTSD, however, you remain in psychological
shock. Your memory of what happened and your feelings about it are disconnected. In order to move on, it’s
important to face and feel your memories and emotions.
Symptoms of PTSD: Almost everyone experiences at least some of the symptoms of PTSD, following a
traumatic event. These symptoms may be bad dreams, feeling fearful or numb, and finding it difficult to stop
thinking about what happened. Usually these symptoms are short-lived; they may last for several days or
even weeks, but they gradually lift.
If you have PTSD, however, the symptoms don’t decrease. In fact they may get worse. But PTSD doesn’t
always develop in the hours or days following a traumatic event, although this is most common. For some
people, the symptoms of PTSD may take weeks, months, or even years to develop. Sometimes symptoms
appear seemingly out of the blue. At other times, they are triggered by something that reminds you of the
original traumatic event, such as a noise, an image, certain words, or a smell. While everyone experiences
PTSD differently, there are three main types of symptoms, as listed below.
Re-experiencing the traumatic event
- · Intrusive, troublesome memories of the event
· Flashbacks (thinking or feeling like the event is happening again)
· Nightmares (either of the event or of other troublesome things)
· Feelings of overwhelmed when reminded of the trauma
- Intense physical reactions to reminders of the event (e.g. pounding heart, rapid
breathing, nausea, sweating, muscle tension)
- · Avoiding places, activities, or thoughts, that remind you of the trauma
· Inability to remember important aspects of the trauma
· Loss of interest in activities and life
· Feeling emotionally numb and detached from others
· Sense of a limited future (you don’t expect to have a normal life
- · Difficulty falling or staying asleep
· Anger outbursts or irritability
· Difficulty concentrating or focusing
· Hypervigilance or being constantly on guard
· Feeling easily startled and jumpy
- · Anger and irritability
· Self-blame, shame or guilt
· Substance abuse or addictions
· Hopeless, helpless thoughts or depression
· Suicidal thoughts and feelings
· Feeling alone and alienated
· Feeling betrayed or mistrusted
· Chest pain, stomach problems, headaches
Finding help for PTSD: If you think that you or someone you care for has PTSD, it’s important to
seek help right away. PTSD is not a sign of weakness. In order to overcome you need to confront what
happened to you and learn to accept it as a part of your life. This is usually easier with the guidance and
support of an experienced therapist.
It’s only natural to want to avoid painful memories. But if you try to avoid facing it and “numbing” your
memories, PTSD usually gets worse. The symptoms emerge under stress or whenever you let down your
guard. This can really be exhausting. The avoidance and numbness will only hurt your ability to cope, harm
your relationships, and destroy your quality of life.
Some trauma sufferers have felt this numbness or avoidance, with resulting low self-esteem and other
psychological pain and problems, since they were children. If so they need to know they need not go on
suffering. It’s time to seek the right kind of help.
Finding a therapist for PTSD: Look for a professional who specialize in the treatment of trauma and
PTSD. Consider someone who makes you feel comfortable and safe, so there is no additional fear or
anxiety about the therapy. If a therapist doesn’t feel right, look for someone else. For therapy to work, you
need to feel respected, understood and confident that you have made a good choice.
Treatment for PTSD: Treatment for PTSD helps you face the trauma and any reminder of it.
When you are ready, you may be encouraged to recall and process the emotions and sensations you felt
during the original event. In addition to offering an outlet for emotions you’ve been bottling up, treatment for
PTSD will also help restore your sense of control and reduce the powerful hold the memory of the trauma
has on you and your life.
Types of treatments for PTSD
- · Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)for PTSD and trauma – as soon as the you can feel
safe and ready, CBT involves carefully and gradually “exposing” yourself to thoughts, feelings, and
situations that trigger memories of the trauma. Therapy also involves identifying upsetting thoughts
about the traumatic event–particularly thoughts that are distorted and irrational—and replacing them
with more balanced picture.
· EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) – EMDR incorporates elements
of cognitive-behavioral therapy with eye movements or other forms of rhythmic, left-right stimulation,
such as hand taps or sounds. Eye movements and other bilateral forms of stimulation are thought to
work by “unfreezing” the brain’s information processing system, which is interrupted in times of extreme
stress, leaving only frozen emotional fragments which retain their original intensity. Once EMDR frees
these fragments of the trauma, they can be integrated into a cohesive memory and processed.
· Family therapy. Since PTSD affects both you and those close to you, family therapy can be
especially productive. Family therapy can help your loved ones understand what you’re going through.
It can also help everyone in the family communicate better and work through relationship problems.
When family members are on board with understanding and support, you do a lot better.
· Medication. Medication is sometimes prescribed to people with PTSD to relieve secondary
symptoms of depression or anxiety, but it does not treat the causes of PTSD. Don’t hesitate to ask
your physician for medication.
Reach out to others for support and help others: You may feel the need to withdraw from social
activities and your loved ones. But it’s important to stay connected to life and the people who care about you.
Support is vital to your recovery. If you feel you need additional support, you might consider a support
group. Ask for a group for survivors of the same type of trauma you went through.
Support groups for PTSD can help you feel less isolated and alone. They also provide invaluable
information on how to cope with symptoms and work towards recovery. Ask your therapist for a referral for a
support group. One of the best ways to reclaim your sense of power is by helping others. Taking positive
action directly challenges the sense of helplessness that contributes to trauma.
PTSD and the family: The symptoms of PTSD can result in job loss, substance abuse, conflict and other
stressful family problems. Letting your family member’s PTSD dominate your life while ignoring your own
needs often leads to burnout. In order to take care of your loved one, you first need to take care of yourself.
Learn all you can about PTSD. The more you know about the symptoms and treatment, the better you'll be
able to help and keep things in perspective.
Helping a loved one with PTSD
- · Be patient and understanding. Even when your loved one is committed to treatment for
PTSD, it takes time. Be patient with the process of recovery. If a person with PTSD needs to talk
about the traumatic event over and over again, offer a sympathetic ear. This is part of the healing
process, so avoid the temptation to tell your loved one to stop rehashing the past and move on.
· Try to anticipate and prepare for PTSD triggers.. If you are aware of what triggers may
cause an upsetting reaction, such as, anniversary dates; people or places associated with the trauma;
and certain sights, sounds, or smells, you’ll be in a better position to offer your support and help your
loved one.
· Don’t take the symptoms of PTSD personally. Common symptoms of PTSD include emotional
numbness, anger, and withdrawal. If your loved one seems distant, irritable, or shut off, remember that
it’s probably not about you or your relationship.
· Don’t pressure your loved to talk. It is very difficult for people with PTSD to talk about their
trauma. For some, it can even make things worse. Never try to force your loved one to open up if they
are not ready. Let the person know that you are available.
several other resources.]
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