“I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence,
but it comes from within. It is there all the time.”
— Anna Freud
Trauma and PTSD
Traumatic experiences are prevalent in our society. Many people experience various traumas in their lives such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, sexual assault, death of loved ones, car accidents, wartime experiences, and many other traumatic events that leave them with feelings of fear, terror, guilt, shame, and sadness. A recent study of the prevalence of trauma found that 85% of the study participants had experienced a traumatic event in their lifetime (Frazier, Anders, & Perera, 2009).
Traumatic experiences can affect one’s life for many years. It can affect the person’s relationships, self-esteem, ability to concentrate, as well as create feelings of depression and anxiety. Some people develop symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that can become overwhelming and sometimes debilitating.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder symptoms
1. Re-experiencing symptoms
- Flashbacks - "re-living" the experience
- Bad dreams or nightmares
- Intrusive memories or thoughts about the event
2. Avoidance symptoms
- Staying away from places, events, or objects that are reminders of the experience
- Feeling emotionally numb
- Feeling guilt, shame, depression, or anxiety
- Loss of interest in activities that were enjoyable in the past
- Difficulty remembering aspects of the event
3. Hyperarousal symptoms
- Being easily startled
- Feeling tense or “on edge”
- Having difficulty sleeping
- Feeling irritable and having angry outbursts
Traumatic experiences can affect people in a profoundly painful way. If you are experiencing symptoms of PTSD or are struggling to deal with the effects of something painful or traumatic that happened to you, it’s important to seek help from a mental health professional.
To learn more about PTSD, click the button below.
