"The Dark Side of #Stayathome" is a blog series that was created due to the increase of domestic violence rates since the onset of COVID-19. This series is dedicated to providing psycho-education, tools, and resources on healing the relational trauma that domestic violence may cause. If you or someone you know needs to speak to someone immediately, please call 1-800-799-7233 or go to www.thehotline.org."
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, commonly known by it's acronym PTSD, is a disorder that has gained attention in recent years, yet is still widely misunderstood. Some believe that PTSD only applies to active duty and retired service members who have been in combat. Others believe that every person who has experienced a traumatic event must therefore have PTSD. Before we talk about ways to address and heal from PTSD, let's start with the basics.
What is PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a set of emotional problems that can occur after someone has experienced a stressful life event.
POST = After
TRAMAUTIC = Trauma
STRESS = Anxiety
DISORDER = Reaction
To be diagnosed with PTSD, an individual will need to talk to a licensed mental health professional (Sorry, WebMD doesn't count!). The mental health professional will be looking for and asking about a few different areas of the person's life. Some common questions are:
1. Have you survived a "trauma", defined as an event outside of your control in which you experienced or witnessed a physical threat (i.e. sexual/physical abuse, combat duty, witnessing someone die/killed, surviving a hurricane, etc)?
2. What has your response to the trauma been? (Common responses include avoidance, helplessness, fear, and/or agitation)
3. How long have you experienced these type of responses?
4. Does the trauma come back into your mind, even when you don't want it to (i.e. nightmares or flashbacks)?
5. Do you often feel on edge or "hyped up", even when there is no significant cause to feel this way (i.e. being easily startled, constantly looking over your shoulder, etc)?
If you answered yes to questions 1, 4, & 5, you may have PTSD. Keep reading for ways to heal from PTSD.
Types of Trauma
Trauma is broken up into two categories, simple and complex. An easy way to differentiate the two is that simple trauma derives from a single incident, whereas complex trauma involves repeated incidents. Complex trauma can be more difficult to treat in some cases due to the length of exposure to the trauma and because symptoms can vary widely from those seen in individuals who have experienced simple trauma. Ongoing domestic violence would be considered complex trauma that may result in additional symptoms such as guilt, shame, dissociation ("losing time"), loss of faith and trust, anger, and self-harm.
Healing from PTSD
In addition to reaching out to a therapist, who may use Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Exposure Therapy, EMDR, or the Seeking Safety treatment method, there are actionable steps that you or someone you know can take to begin healing from PTSD.
1. Acknowledge that your symptoms are normal after what you have been through. PTSD is considered "a normal reaction to abnormal events". You are not weak, crazy, or a bad person.
2. Know that you are not alone. 61% of men and 51% of women experience trauma during their lives. 5% of those men and 10% of those women develop PTSD.
3. Identify your triggers. If you aren't familiar with what people, places or things remind you of your trauma, this may be a difficult task. It's best to identify these triggers with a licensed mental health professional but if you are unable to do so, try asking a trusted, safe friend to sit with you while you explore a) what external triggers you may have and b) what internal triggers you may have. External triggers exist in your environment and may include seeing someone who looks like your perpetrator, watching a tv show that hits close to home or being near the location of your trauma. Internal triggers are (you guessed it), triggers that come from within your mind or body. Examples include memories of the trauma, pain in a specific area, feelings of helplessness or vulnerability, and anxiety.
4. Detach from emotional pain through grounding. Using grounding techniques (also known as centering or healthy detachment) can help when you are triggered by your trauma. It can be done in any place and at any time. Grounding differs from relaxation techniques like meditation; instead of focusing inward, you are turning your attention to the external world around you. This is particularly helpful for individuals suffering from intrusion symptoms like flashbacks or for those who have suffered from sexual abuse, who may be triggered by closing their eyes and hearing prompts such as "relax". There are many types of grounding (physical, mental, soothing, etc) and what works for you may not be what works for someone else. Try each method to figure out what works best for you or create your own approach!
5. Continue reading this blog series. In the coming weeks, you will learn how to set healthier boundaries in relationships, how to create a deeper meaning for your life, how to take better care of yourself, and how to (and where to) ask for help. All of these skills will help you or someone you love heal from PTSD.
If you would like additional support in the form of individual therapy, click here or call 1-800-799-7233 to find a mental health therapist near you.
Comments