Let’s talk about PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder). Once considered an anxiety disorder, it has recently moved to a category on its own. Trauma was first noticed after World War 1, it was called shell shock because of peculiar symptoms from soldiers coming back home.
Trauma is split into main categories. PTSD generally refers to one or a series of similar events that are highly unusual and leave such a profound effect on our psyche that they change us. Complex PTSD is the category and refers to small traumatic events that occur overtime.
Classic trauma leads to some very intense such as flashbacks, nightmares, intense symptoms of anxiety and affect daily life of those who are affected by it. You can think of it as being stuck in the timeline of the traumatic event. Time may have passed since it happened
but victims of PTSD continue to live the event in such a vivid fashion that they can remember the smells, sounds, sights, everything from that event. It is like living in a horror movie everyday. Complex PTSD does not operate that way. In fact, it is really hard to notice
and is often confused with other anxiety categories, depression or even personality disorders. However, when health care professionals establish a good working relationship with clients, it can become evident that there are signs of complex trauma in an “AHA” moment.
The good news for classic trauma is that it can be reduced and treated through a combination of medication and therapy. The bad news is that it cannot leave forever. We can function again, lead a normal (mostly happy) life but there will be moments when it pops in.
Usually in these threads, I give some recommendations on what you can do at home until you can see a therapist but in this case, all I will recommend is to go get treated right away. Trauma is too intense for its treatment to be postponed. I work a lot with trauma survivors
and it is a process that can take a while for improvements to happen and sessions can be very intense when clients are reliving and even talking about these memories. Even after 2+ years of being a therapist, I still have a hard time keeping my own emotions in check because
it is just so heartbreaking and you want to just hug and protect them from any further harm. Complex trauma is easier to deal with on a day-to-day basis because there is no set vivid flashbacks but it is also something that requires treatment
because it is usually individuals who have grown up in abusive families or have been in abusive relationship. It becomes hard to disconnect with that period of life. If you have been the survivor or witness to a traumatic event and suffer daily because of it,
Please seek treatment. You don’t have to live with that intensity. As always, if you have any questions, please ask me any questions. I will do my best to answer as accurately as possible.
Edit: second tweet (split into 2 categories)
