Living with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder | Everything You Need to Know

Post-traumatic stress disorder is one of the most common mental health disorders. Commonly referred to as PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder is developed as a result of exposure to a traumatic, dangerous, or shocking event.

Plus, for what it’s worth, many people develop post-traumatic stress disorder after indirect exposure to a traumatic event. It’s your brain reliving all those miserable moments, bringing you to a vulnerable state.

As mentioned by the National Institute of Mental Health, PTSD affects more than 15 million people in the US every year. Not to mention, the prevalence of PTSD is higher among females compared to males. That’s not all, there’s so much more to know. Stick around to find more details about PTSD:

Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

The symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder usually appear within a month after exposure to a traumatic event. However, sometimes they don’t appear until years after the event and come suddenly in a magnified form.

PTSD has multiple symptoms. They’re usually grouped into four categories, including physical and emotional reactions, mood symptoms, avoidance, and intrusive memories. In other words, PTSD manifests in the following ways:

• Aggressive behavior, angry outbursts, or irritability
• Self-destructive behavior, including drinking or rash driving
• Feeling emotionally numb or detached from friends and family
• Negative thoughts and hopelessness about the future
• Avoiding places, people, or activities that remind you of the traumatic event
• Reliving the traumatic event (flashbacks)
• Unwanted, recurring memories of the traumatic event

Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

There are a number of treatment options for post-traumatic stress disorder. Let me list them down here so that you know what options you have:

• Allopathic medicines, including serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) as well as benzodiazepines.
• Microdosing could be a viable option. This involves taking small doses of psychedelics, such as LSD, psilocybin microdosing capsule or psilocybin mushrooms. These substances are thought to have mood-lifting properties that could help alleviate the symptoms of depression.
• Herbs and plants as they come with natural healing properties and have no side effects. They include ashwagandha, passionflower, saffron, and shroom chocolate bars.
• A healthy routine, which includes regular exercise, yoga, meditation, or other relaxing techniques to calm yourself mentally and physically.
• Cognitive processing therapy to challenge your thoughts related to the traumatic event and get rid of the negative thoughts forever.
• Stress inoculation training, a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), takes you back into the event and you come out of it stronger and better.
• Prolonged exposure therapy is also recommended for people with PTSD. It involves thinking about the traumatic event while practicing relaxing techniques like breathing exercises.
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing are rarely practiced; however, it’s very effective for people who don’t feel like opening up to their therapist. In EMDR, you look for positivity in a negative situation by focusing on different objects like a hand movement or a flashing light.

The Takeaway

Last but not least, please know that PTSD is entirely curable with early diagnosis and treatment. In case you observe any of the summons mentioned above or if you’ve been through a traumatic event, please consult a mental health expert immediately. PTSD can create havoc in your life; thus, precautions are necessary. I wish you well, my friends!