Ever find yourself remembering troubling events so vividly, you feel like you’re reliving them?  Do you tend to also work strenuously to avoid being reminded of certain things that have happened to you so as not to be triggered by them.  Feel numb emotionally much of the time as well?  If this sounds like you, then you have some telltale signs of PTSD.

PTSD Is An Increasingly Big Problem Today

With all of the social and political unrest in the world these days, not to mention the ongoing pandemic and natural disasters, there is so much potential for PTSD in the world around us.  It’s no wonder people are complaining more and more about trauma, which by itself isn’t the same as PTSD, but many people suffer from this potentially debilitating condition.  While not more than 10% of the US population is thought to suffer from PTSD, about 70% of people suffer from one or more traumatic events in their lives according to Sidran Institute.  

What Are the Telltale Signs of PTSD?

• Flashbacks:  You have a tendency to relive events as if they are happening all over again, regardless of how long ago they happened.

• Feeling emotionally numb:  This is a sign of shock and after a traumatic event is over, this is a primary feeling that tends to happen to people when they aren’t anxious, angry, irritable, or restless.

• You avoid reminders of what traumatized you in the first place, either consciously or unconsciously.  

• Nightmares:  these are disturbing dreams that leave you feeling somehow upset afterwards.  They tend to have a recurring theme with PTSD, such as being chased or going off a cliff before waking up.

• Irritability, anger, or rage:  You tend to fly off the handle over seemingly insignificant things, and the reaction tends to be over the top at times.

• Chronic insomnia:  You tend to have trouble falling asleep or wake up too early, or both.  This and nightmares can make the prospect of going to bed an unpleasant experience and worsen the whole cycle.

One of the main things to keep in mind about the telltale signs is that by themselves they aren’t enough to diagnose you with PTSD, but they tend to go along with this disorder more often than not.  Another good way to find out if you have PTSD is to take the ACE Survey.  This is a measure of how much trauma you suffered as a child.  Generally if people score a 4 or higher they are at a greater risk of health problems, both physical and mental, as an adult.  I have another blog on the topic that I published not too long ago going into greater detail about all of this.  While not everybody who has PTSD develops addictions, as a group people with PTSD are especially vulnerable to addiction issues because of how their trauma has led to them trying to self-medicate the problem.

What You Can Do to Treat PTSD

If you have PTSD, you will need professional help at some point, and the sooner the better.  There are some positive ways to cope with the disorder apart from getting professional help, though.  If you have addiction issues, getting sober is crucial to recovery.  To cope with the anxiety that usually accompanies PTSD, doing some form of deep breathing is important to help alleviate this.  Journaling can also be a good way to cope with the intense feelings that can beleaguer you, especially if you are able to write and write until the tone of your writing becomes neutral or positive.  Also, with respect to the sleep situation, having good sleep hygiene is one of the most important things you can do to stabilize your mood and to improve your overall health and well-being.  

How I Can Help With PTSD

I have been treating people suffering from trauma and PTSD for my entire 10-plus year professional career, and I have numerous ways to help people with this disorder.  First and foremost is that I understand the unique challenges that go with trauma disorders, and can help tailor the appropriate coping skills that will allow you to function as best as possible given your own particular situation.  I also practice two forms of trauma therapy, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), and Image Transformation Therapy (ImTT).  Both of these have proven to be effective with the clients I work with, and sometimes can be used in combination.  Whatever the most appropriate combination of treatments is for you, I can help you find it.  If medications are necessary to help, I can make appropriate referrals to help ensure that your needs are met in recovering.  I also help in overcoming addictions related to PTSD, so I have you covered from one end to the other.  You don’t have to take my word for it and can have a free 20-minute free phone consult by either calling my number above or filling out the form below.  The bottom line is that I want you to get the help you need so that trauma doesn’t have to rule your life anymore!

Visit our specialty page on trauma therapy to learn more about how Scott can help you with trauma.  

About the author:  Scott Kampschaefer, LCSW is a private practice therapist in Frederick, Maryland.  He has an extensive background in working with depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder at a clinic for older adults with these disorders in Austin.  He now works with adults and adolescents 14 and up in private practice. His new e-book is entitled The 5 Pillars of Addiction Recovery and is available for purchase on Amazon.