59 - Symptoms for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for adults, teens and children

   Many of you probably have Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, and don’t even know it because you have lived with it for so long that its symptoms have become a part of your lives. This is a condition that can develop after you have gone through a life-threatening event or if continued traumatic events keep occurring in your environment such as a parent spanking a lot, yelling in the house, breaking things, a parent abusing his/her spouse, alcoholism, drug abuse, a horrible car accident and the list goes on.

   You may have trouble keeping yourself from thinking over and over about what happened. Or you could feel numb. Sometimes you might try to avoid people and places that remind you of the trauma. Or you might startle easily and may feel on guard time, waiting for something to happen.

    When you experience overwhelming amounts of negative experiences, your body, mind, and spirit adapt, helping you cope for a while, but soon you will feel exhausted and sometimes detached from your daily life and from your loved ones.

   When you're afraid, your body activates the "fight or flight" response.  Your body releases adrenaline, which is responsible for increasing blood pressure, heart rate and rising glucose to muscles which would allow you to run away quickly if you are in immediate danger. However, once the threat (which may or may not have actually existed) is gone, the body begins a process of shutting down the stress response, and this process involves the release of another hormone known as cortisol. Sometimes your body does not generate enough cortisol, so it shuts down the flight or stress reaction. Therefore, you may continue to feel the stress effects of the adrenaline. 
   Trauma victims who develop PTSD often have higher levels of other stimulating hormones (catecholamines) under normal conditions even though the threat of trauma is not present, there is still lower levels of cortisol. This combination of higher than normal stimulating hormones and lower than normal levels of the "calming" hormones create the conditions for PTSD.

   After a month in this heightened state with stress hormones elevated and cortisol levels lowered, you may develop further physical changes, such as heightened hearing. This cascade of physical changes, one triggering another, suggests that early intervention may be the key to heading off the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder.   Low levels of cortisol during trauma may cause you to remember the scary event even more than the average person. Low cortisol could be a marker for those who might develop PTSD after trauma.

   People who develop PTSD do not get over their trauma so quickly. This disorder must be diagnosed by a medical professional.

 Some symptoms of PTSD:

     * Hyperarousal: always being on alert, trouble sleeping, irritability, difficulty concentrating,

         exaggerated startle response

     * Panic attacks: a feeling of intense fear, which can be accompanied by shortness of breath,
        dizziness, sweating, nausea, and a racing heart.

     * Physical symptoms: chronic pain, headaches, stomach pain, diarrhea, tightness or burning in the

        chest, muscle cramps, or low back pain

     * Feelings of mistrust: losing trust in others and thinking the world is a dangerous place

     * Problems in daily living: difficulty functioning in your job, at school, or in social situations

     * Substance abuse: using drugs or alcohol to cope with the emotional pain

     * Relationship problems: having problems with intimacy or feeling detached from your family and

        friends

    *  Depression: persistent sad, anxious, or empty mood; loss of interest in once-enjoyed activities;

       feelings of guilt and shame; or hopelessness about the future. Other symptoms of depression may also

develop.

    *  Destructive thoughts:  about taking one's own life, having upsetting and frightening dreams;    

       acting or feeling like the experience is happening again, or developing repeated physical or 

       emotional symptoms when the child is reminded of the event.

Children with PTSD may also show the following symptoms:

    * Worry about dying at an early age

    * Lose interest in activities
    * Have problems concentrating

    * Have physical symptoms such as headaches or stomachaches (My daughter had Fibromyalgia)

    * Show more sudden and extreme emotional reactions
    * Repeat behavior that reminds them of the trauma

    * Have problems falling or staying asleep

    * Show irritability or angry outbursts

    * Acting younger than their age (clingy or whiny behavior, thumb sucking)

    * Show increased alertness to the environment

  

Teenagers' symptoms might include:

    *Recurrent, intrusive, and distressing memories of the event; or dreams

    *Acting or feeling as if the traumatic event were recurring

    *Intense psychological distress when exposed to reminders of the traumatic event

    *Detachment, estrangement from others, decreased interest in activities

    *Irritability, sleep disturbances, poor concentration, hypervigilance, anxiety

   Since I have been involved in group Constellation Healing, I have learned that my siblings and I experienced trauma.  We moved around almost every two years to a new state. But most of all, I learned that my father's yelling, spanking, forking a brother’s hand, or kicking another brother, throwing things, breaking walls and doors was not normal behavior.  I had grown up with it, so I assumed it was.  Hopefully, if you continually experience some of the symptoms off and on during your life, you will go and get help so that you can release the hurts. You will become free of them, but it does take work and yes, some tears, but most of all a world of forgiveness. 
   You will feel calmer, have more control of your life and feel much happier. The buttons that used to make you react will slowly diminish and then magically disappear. I guarantee that you will fall in love even more with the new you. It will be a tough, bumpy road for a while, but you can do it. Remember, I'm here if you need to talk. You can leave a note on my blog or if you feel more comfortable, get in touch with me at tbboivin8@gmail.com.

My other BLOGS that might be useful:

#4  - Types of therapy that are helpful

#6  -  Helpful organizations for those who are dealing with or have someone who is mentally ill,  
         abusing drugs or alcohol

#7  –  How to meditate.  Really helps you relax and let go of hurts.

#21 – Technique to help you release negative thoughts

#36 -  Two quick techniques to return to the now if you’re thinking negative thoughts

#55 -  What happens when we can’t forgive
#61 -  Stop playing the victim