Some life events are so powerful that they leave a mark long after they are over. It could be an accident, a painful loss, abuse, or seeing something scary. These times can stick in your mind and change how you feel every day. If you keep having those memories and they make it hard to live normally, you might have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
You are not weak if you have PTSD. The mind is saying that it needs time and care to get better. PTSD can happen to anyone, no matter how old they are or where they come from. Knowing the symptoms can help you or someone you care about start to feel better. Let’s go over the seven most common signs and what they mean.
1. Going Back to the Event
One of the most common signs of PTSD is having flashbacks to the event that caused the trauma. This can happen when you have flashbacks, nightmares, or thoughts that come out of nowhere. It may seem like the event is happening again.
A sound, smell, or place can sometimes bring back memories of what happened and make you feel scared or panicked. Your heart might race or your breathing might change. Your mind and body still feel like they’re stuck in that moment, even though the danger has passed.
These things can be scary and hard to understand. They don’t mean you’re weak; they mean your brain is still trying to deal with something painful. The first thing you need to do is pay attention when this happens and tell yourself that you are safe now.
2. Not Remembering
People who have PTSD often stay away from things that remind them of the trauma. They might avoid certain people, places, or situations. For instance, someone who survived a car accident might not want to drive again, or someone who was hurt might not want to be around people or strangers.
Avoidance can also mean not thinking or talking about what happened. Some people stay busy all the time so they don’t have to think about things that hurt. This might help for a little while, but it will keep the healing from happening over time.
Not dealing with feelings or memories can make life seem smaller and lonelier. Knowing that this behaviour is a sign of PTSD can help you stop feeling ashamed and guilty. You can start to heal when you slowly face what you’ve been avoiding, at your own pace, with the right help.
3. Bad Thoughts and Feelings
PTSD can change the way you see yourself and the world around you. You might start to believe that people can’t be trusted or that the world isn’t safe anymore. Even if they didn’t do anything wrong, some people feel bad about what happened. Some people stop being excited or happy about things they used to enjoy.
When you’re emotionally numb, everything can seem boring. You might feel like you’re not connected to your family and friends, or you might not care about things that used to matter to you. You may also feel hopeless and have low self-esteem because of these feelings.
Keep in mind that these are not truths, but symptoms. These bad thoughts can get better with time and care. If you talk to someone who knows what trauma is like, it can help you see yourself and the world in a new light.
4. Being on Edge
Another sign of PTSD is always feeling like you need to be on guard, as if danger could show up at any time. This is known as hyperarousal. It happens because your brain still thinks it needs to keep you safe.
You might notice that you get scared easily or feel tense for no reason. Things like a loud noise or a sudden movement can make your body jump. You might have trouble sleeping because your mind won’t let go.
This way of life can be tiring. Your body never gets a real break, which can make you feel tired, anxious, or irritable. Over time, learning how to relax your body and tell your brain that it’s safe can make a big difference.
5. Issues with Sleep and Hunger
PTSD can make it hard to sleep and eat. A lot of people have trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep. They might wake up in the middle of the night because of nightmares or racing thoughts. Daytime stress feels worse and harder to handle when you don’t get enough sleep.
You can also change how you eat. Some people eat more to feel better, while others don’t care about food at all. Your body is reacting to stress by making these changes. They can make you tired, give you headaches, or make you feel low on energy over time.
Simple habits that help you take care of your body can help. Get enough sleep and eat at the same times every day. Go for short walks and stay away from caffeine before bed. These little things help you feel more stable and in control.
6. Feeling Numb or Cut Off
Some people feel emotionally numb after something bad happens to them. You might think that nothing makes you happy, sad, or mad anymore. You might feel like you’re just going through the motions of life and not really living it.
Your brain does this to keep you from feeling bad emotions. This can help at first, but it also stops good feelings like love and happiness. You might feel like you’re not close to your loved ones or have trouble getting along with other people.
Knowing that this numbness is a normal reaction can help you deal with it better. As your mind starts to feel safe again, your feelings slowly start to come back with time and therapy.
7. Getting Angry or Irritable Out of Nowhere
PTSD can also make you angry or irritable all of a sudden. You might get angry over little things or feel annoyed for no reason. This is usually because your body is still on alert, ready to protect you from harm even when there isn’t any.
These fits of anger don’t mean you’re a bad person. They show that someone is very stressed and scared. A lot of people feel bad or confused about how they reacted after.
Doing things that help you relax, like deep breathing, light exercise, or talking about how you feel, can help lessen these reactions. The body learns over time that it doesn’t need to be on the defensive all the time.
How PTSD Changes Your Life
PTSD can have an effect on almost every part of life. Relationships can get tense, work can feel too much, and social events can make you anxious. Even when nothing is wrong, someone with PTSD may feel unsafe in crowded places, loud noises, or when things change suddenly.
It’s not about being weak or not trying hard enough to get through these problems. The brain is still trying to keep you safe from something it thinks is dangerous, which is why they happen. People with PTSD can learn to deal with these triggers and feel safe again if they have support and understanding.
Over time, recovery helps you get your balance back, focus, and peace of mind.
When to Get Help
If you have a lot of these symptoms and they have lasted for more than a few weeks, you should talk to a professional. A trained therapist can help you make sense of what’s going on and show you how to deal with tough feelings and thoughts.
It’s okay to ask for help. Anyone can get PTSD. When you let yourself get help, healing starts.
If you live in British Columbia, you can find professionals who care and offer PTSD counselling in Surrey. They give you a safe and supportive place to work through what you’ve been through and start to heal at your own pace.
Steps to Get Better
It takes time to heal from PTSD, but it is possible. The goal is not to forget what happened, but to learn how to live peacefully with the memory. You can take charge of your life, thoughts, and feelings again.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), and mindfulness-based therapy are all types of therapy that can help. These techniques help your brain deal with trauma in a safe and healthy way.
Taking care of yourself is also very important. Going outside, writing in a journal, doing light exercise, and talking to people who care about you can all help calm your mind. You can feel more grounded again by making small routines and being kind to yourself every day.
Keep in mind that healing is not a straight path. Some days will be harder than others, but every step you take counts.
Last Thoughts
Understanding PTSD is the first step towards getting better, even though it can make life feel heavy and unpredictable. Some common reactions to a traumatic event are reliving it, avoiding triggers, being on high alert all the time, and feeling numb emotionally.
Asking for help is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign of strength. You can feel peace again if you take care of yourself, be patient, and get help from a professional.
You are not alone, and your life can feel whole again no matter what happens. Hope is the first step in healing, even though it takes time.
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