Post trauma

What is post-traumatic stress disorder?

Post-traumatic stress disorder is an individualistic part case of an anxiety disorder and shares most of its symptoms. The disorder develops as a result of a big and rocking event that leaves a harsh wound on the human soul. This kind of wound is referred to as ‘trauma’ and it can be cause by several experiences – accidents, injuries, death of a loved one’s or sexual assault.

Like anxiety disorder, PTSD also is reflected with a fearful feeling and helplessness in front of life’s challenges. Mostly, people who suffer from PTSD will lose all interest in many fields and areas that use to interest them, and an anxiety and “reliving” the trauma repeatedly will occupy a large amount of their lives. Naturally, the disorder will disrupt the subject’s routine and quality of life in many aspects. 

The life altering event may change in its nature and severity between different people, and it is hard to predict which even may cause trauma. While some people will experience difficult events in their lives without developing trauma, others may suffer from hard post trauma symptoms from events that most of us experience in our lifetime. One of the most common cases of PTSD is the result of army combat events, this is also known as “shell shock”. Having said that, since most of the time treating shell shock will have short term strategies in order to reduce the time of suffering from the trauma, some tend to differentiate it from PTSD, which can be much more complicated to treat.

Post trauma symptoms

There are four kinds of post trauma symptoms, however, they may not be the identical for everyone. Every person experiences the symptoms in their own way.

Thoughts or intrusive memories from the event* 

Unwanted memories from the event that keep coming back –

– Agitating dreams or nightmares

– Acting or feeling like the event is happening again [flashbacks]

– Anguish and fear when the event is brought up

– Feeling jumpy, getting startled or angry when the event is talked about

– Kids may recreate what happened in drawings or other artistic outlets

Avoiding all reminders of the event*

Avoiding thinking about the trauma or talking about it –

– Avoiding activities, places or people that remind the event

Inability to remember important parts of the event

*Negative thoughts and moods post event

Constant worries and beliefs that the world and the people in it are not safe –

– Blaming oneself for the traumatic event

– Lack of interest to participate in recurring activities

– Feeling angry, shameful, fearful or guilty about what happened

– Feeling disconnected or estranged from people

– Inability to feel positive feelings [joy, satisfaction, love]

*Lasting feeling of anxiety or physical reactions

– Trouble falling or staying asleep

– Feeling bitterness or angry

– Trouble paying attention or focusing

– Constantly looking for danger or warning signs

– Easily startling 

How does it feel to have PTSD?

The type of symptoms that characterize PTSD, as mentioned above, explain why suffering the disorder is so complicated. Even though there is no conclusive “formula” of symptoms, rather each person has a different experience, the common denominator is a potential blow to various aspects of life.

 Someone might experience the PTSD symptoms time after time, disrupting his whole life routine. In some situations, the person will not be able to have a “normal” life – work, study, family and so on – because of the symptoms or fear of their arrival. This is a constant challenge, sometimes conscious and sometimes not, like a bomb waiting to explode. 

By its definition, untreated PTSD may accompany the individual for years and years. Many times, the person will not be able to avoid the triggers that trigger the symptoms. A common example discussed over the years is shell shocked soldiers with PTSD from combat, that get triggered by routine fireworks.

It is possible that the person suffering from PTSD will develop escape patterns, isolate itself, and back out of social circles. Some let the trauma manage their lives. It is often the close environment relationships of the person that suffer, whether if it is a fear of interactions, or the environment’s misunderstanding of the situation. 

Diagnosing and treating PTSD

By performing the QEEG test, we can examine whether there is an area of the brain of the subject that is linked to a traumatic event.

The treatment will be similar to the one done in cases of anxiety disorders, using the Neurofeedback technology, the brain learns to alter it’s irregular activity and the ease of symptoms is significant.

 Mayrav Shaked – Toledano

Clinical social worker M.S.W, years of treating children and adults with ADD/ADHD, attention disorders, anxiety and personal difficulties.
Mentoring parents, groups and professionals, with a vast experience in social services and mental health.
B.A and M.A in social work from Bar Ilan university.

B.A in criminology and informal education from Bar Ilan University.