What is PTSD?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can occur after a person has experienced or witnessed a traumatic event. PTSD is triggered by exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence. This can include events like combat, accidents, assault, or natural disasters. The symptoms of PTSD can last for a long time and cause problems in a person's life. They can include having upsetting memories or nightmares about the event, trying to avoid things that remind them of the event, feeling numb or negative about themselves and the world, and feeling constantly tense or on edge. While it is normal to feel fear during a traumatic event, people with PTSD continue to experience these distressing symptoms even after the event is over. In some cases, these symptoms can last for months or even years. PTSD symptoms can significantly interfere with work, relationships, and overall quality of life.

Types of PTSD

PTSD symptoms are typically grouped into four categories: re-experiencing, avoidance, negative alterations in cognition and mood, and changes in arousal and reactivity. These categories help to understand the different ways individuals may experience and cope with the effects of trauma.

Re-experiencing:

These involve unwanted, intrusive, and distressing memories of the traumatic event. They can manifest as flashbacks, where the person relives the event as if it were happening again, or as nightmares and upsetting dreams.

Avoidance:

Individuals with PTSD may actively try to avoid thinking or talking about the traumatic event, as well as avoid places, people, activities, or situations that remind them of it.

Negative Changes in Thinking and Mood:

This includes changes in how a person thinks and feels, such as persistent negative thoughts about oneself or the world, feelings of hopelessness, difficulty experiencing positive emotions, and detachment from others.

Change in Arousal and Reactivity:

Symptoms involve increased anxiety, irritability, difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbances, and being easily startled or angered

Reference: National Center for PTSD (2023). Understanding PTSD and PTSD Treatment. https://www.ptsd.va.gov/publications/print/understandingptsd_booklet.pdf

Understanding PTSD Triggers

PTSD triggers are reminders of a past trauma that can cause a person with PTSD to experience intense emotional or physical reactions, as if the trauma were happening again. These triggers can be internal (like thoughts or feelings) or external (like specific sights, sounds, or smells). Understanding and managing triggers is a key part of coping with PTSD

What are triggers?

Triggers are anything that reminds a person with PTSD of a traumatic event they experienced. They can be external, like a specific place, sound, or smell, or internal, like a memory, emotion, or physical sensation

How do triggers work?

When a person with PTSD encounters a trigger, their brain and body can react as if the trauma is happening again. This can lead to a range of symptoms, including flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, and physical reactions like a racing heart or sweating.

Examples of triggers:

External: A car backfiring (reminding someone of gunfire), a specific smell associated with a traumatic event, a place where the trauma occurred, a news report about a similar event.

Internal: Sadness, anger, anxiety, a racing heartbeat, or a memory of the traumatic event

Why are triggers important?
Identifying and understanding triggers is crucial for managing PTSD. It can help people anticipate potential stressors and develop coping strategies to manage their reaction

Some ways of coping with triggers:

Self-care:

Engaging in activities that promote relaxation and well-being, like exercise, mindfulness, or spending time in nature.

Therapy:

Seeking professional help from a therapist specializing in PTSD can provide tools and techniques for managing triggers and symptoms.

Support systems:

Connecting with trusted friends, family members, or support groups can provide a sense of community and understanding.

Mindfulness and grounding techniques:

Practicing mindfulness and grounding techniques can help bring a person back to the present moment when triggered.