Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental condition affecting roughly 13 million people in the United States annually. The trauma disorder interferes with daily activities if left untreated, as well as disrupts relationships and responsibilities.
Knowing when to seek help can enable you to work with a counselor to build a customized plan for managing symptoms of PTSD.
Signs to Seek PTSD Help
The symptoms of PTSD can cause mental distress and physical issues. Unfortunately, many people may be unaware that the anxiety they feel is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. People seek PTSD help after the following:
- Involved in a violent event, such as war
- Witnessing a traumatic event
- Being abandoned, neglected, or abused
- Being under great pressure for a period of time, such as caregiving for a terminal loved one
Anyone can develop PTSD, not just war veterans, although that is the demographic most associated with PTSD. For example, a woman caring for her terminal mother may develop PTSD symptoms due to chronic stress and worry. A teenage boy may show symptoms if he was neglected or abused during early childhood.
Christian counseling is effective for managing PTSD symptoms. Your counselor will combine evidence-based techniques with faith-based principles to address you as a whole person: physically, mentally, and spiritually.
The following are signs that you may need PTSD help.
Persistent Reactions
If you experience persistent reactions to noise or other triggers, you could be showing a sign of PTSD. People who have experienced trauma often physically react to triggers. For example, a war veteran may duck when they hear a loud bang. A woman may suffer a panic attack during a storm because she lived through a natural disaster, such as a tornado.
Startling, ducking, and high anxiety due to a trigger that occurs for more than four weeks indicate that a mental health professional should see you. Counseling is not lifelong. You learn the skills you need to manage and overcome PTSD symptoms spread out over several sessions.
Interference with Daily Life
Memories and traumatic behavior (like the startle response or panic attacks) can interfere with your daily activities. You may find yourself withdrawing from others or preferring to work from home. You may feel embarrassment, guilt, or shame in your reactions.
Yet, isolation is never the answer. Learning to overcome panic attacks, anxiety, depression, and intrusive memories can bolster your self-esteem and confidence. You are a work in progress, and God never intended for you to walk through this alone. Counseling and support can help you get back to what is important to you.
Intrusive Thoughts
Intrusive thoughts and memories are strong, vivid images and urges. If you suffer from PTSD, you may have experienced these. Intrusive thoughts can be scary and seem to come out of nowhere. They can make you want to give in and do things you wouldn’t normally do. Sometimes, these thoughts can feel true. False beliefs arise from intrusive thoughts.
Intrusive memories can appear as realistic flashbacks. Some people have experienced such vivid flashbacks that the line between reality and memory blurs. It can take several minutes to return to reality, though the physical effects (rapid heart rate, shallow breathing, high blood pressure) can persist for hours.
Emotional Symptoms
Intense emotions can plague someone dealing with PTSD. Shame, guilt, sadness, and anger can stem from the event or chronic situation that has led to the trauma disorder. You may feel empty and numb, detached from others around you, and unable to connect with friends and family.
Thought distortions about yourself or others can cause riffs where none exist. Paranoia can also contribute to feelings of loneliness. The emotional upheaval can lead to other anxiety and depressive disorders if left untreated.
Physical Symptoms
The mind is a powerful thing. Anxiety and depression can fuel changes in brain chemistry and the nervous system. Physical symptoms can develop, including:
- Rapid or irregular heart rate
- High blood pressure
- Appetite changes
- Rapid weight gain or loss
- Poor sleep quality
- Forgetfulness or brain fog
- Unexplainable pain
- Digestive issues
- Headaches
- Skin rashes or itchiness
Physical and emotional symptoms can combine to leave you feeling unworthy and isolated from the world. If you or someone you love is having thoughts of harming themselves or others, or struggles with suicidal thoughts, seek help immediately.
Counseling for PTSD
If you are seeking PTSD help, we can assist you in your search. Contact us today to speak to a representative who will connect you to a Christian counselor specializing in trauma disorders. PTSD help is only a call or click away.
“Man sitting”, Courtesy of Kelly Sikkema, Unsplash.com, CC0 License
