- Hey, Psych2Goers. Do you have suspicions that
you are suffering from PTSD, but are not exactly sure? Maybe, you're unsure if
what you went through qualifies as traumatic? Or perhaps you have doubts
as to whether you have PTSD, because you're still able
to go through your day and fulfill tasks and responsibilities. Perhaps, you've seen
cases of PTSD and others and have thought that what you
go through is not as severe, invalidating your own feelings? So what is PTSD? PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a psychological condition
that can occur as a response to a traumatic incident. This includes threats of
death or harm, such as war, sexual assault, violence, motor accidents, natural disasters, or medical emergencies. PTSD can be experienced in different forms and to various degrees. Remember, that feelings about your trauma are always valid. With that said, here are five signs of
high functioning PTSD. Number one, extreme emotional reactions. Trauma can lead to what
is called hypervigilance. Do you often feel anxious,
stressed out, and on edge? You might feel as though
you're constantly on high alert as a result of trauma
that you've experienced? Do you find that you get
startled, rather easily? And on top of that, is your reaction to being startled, unusually intense? Even violent at times? Perhaps, you feel particularly irritable and are prone to outbursts of anger from the strain of constantly
feeling tense and on edge. It's one thing to be cautious, but have you been overly
conscious of your surroundings and on the lookout for potential threats, to the point that everyday
life become comes a struggle. Trauma can cause these
feelings, habits, and reactions as your fight or flight
response intensifies. Number two, negative changes
in thoughts and mood. Have you noticed certain negative changes in your thoughts and mood? This can occur in different forms. You may be struggling with
reoccurring feelings of fear, horror, anger, or hopelessness. You might experience emotions
similar to depression, such as losing interest in
activities you once enjoyed, or feeling unable to experience joy and other positive feelings. You might have also
developed negative thoughts about other people,
the world, or yourself. Perhaps, you've been
feeling guilt and shame, even though the traumatic
incident is not your fault, you may have convinced
yourself that it is. Number three, avoidance. Trauma may leave you feeling vulnerable, on the edge, and unsafe. Understandably so, which may then lead you to avoid and withdraw from certain things in order to feel safe or protect yourself. You might find yourself
avoiding people, places, conversations, or situations that remind you of the traumatic event. Perhaps, you've been going out of your way to take different routes, or
cancel plans with friends, even though, you may have some desire to have a good time and see people. You may back out of situations or get away from certain people to avoid any reminders of your trauma. Or perhaps, because you're
feeling too overwhelmed to socialize. Additionally, you may
find yourself avoiding some of your own thoughts. All in all, the constant
avoidance can be exhausting, and take a toll on your or mental health. Number four, physical problems. You may also experience
physical manifestations of your struggle with
trauma, such as insomnia. Have you been having trouble sleeping? Perhaps, your fears have
been keeping you up at night. Or you've been having nightmares related to the trauma you experienced. You may also ex experience
certain physical sensations when you're reminded of the incident, such as increased heart rate, sweating, breathing difficulties, or feeling faint. Often, tied to anxiety, these are signs that you
may be suffering from PTSD. And number five, reliving the trauma. You may have also been reliving
the traumatic incident. Have you been having recurrent
memories of the event? These may occur, in spite of you trying not to think about it. As previously mentioned, you
might also have nightmares, in which you relive the event, or dream about
circumstances related to it. Nightmares are also
different from flashbacks, in which you might relive the incident, as if it were really happening again. These are signs you might
be suffering from PTSD. PTSD symptoms can vary from case to case, in terms of severity and
types of experiences, or a proper diagnosis. Please, do not hesitate to reach out to a qualified mental health professional. Living with trauma can
be a daily struggle. Therapy and treatment from a qualified professional can help. There is no guarantee that PTSD symptoms will go away on their own,
or just lessen with time. But there are resources
that can help people regain a good quality of life.
