If you have gone through a difficult and traumatic time in your life, it is possible that its effects might still interfere with your daily activities. You can catch yourself thinking about that time quite often, and there is a very high chance you might have shaped your present life according to your past. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that is triggered by a stressful and terrifying event you might have either experienced or witnessed. There can be great difficulty adjusting afterwards, and sometimes it can feel impossible to go back to your old life. The entire conundrum can make you feel frustrated, so it is advised to visit the Best Psychiatrist in Lahore before the symptoms worsen.
Signs You Have PTSD
Most people can go through traumatic events and have difficulty coping with them temporarily. But things usually get better after some time with self-care and help from others. On the other hand, some people can have symptoms worsening over time, interfering with their daily functioning. This is categorized as PTSD. Each person’s experience of it is unique. You can experience the same type of trauma as someone else, but can be affected by it in different ways.
Symptoms can start within a month of the traumatic event, or they can even appear years after the event. There is no proper pattern; they can vary from time to time, and person to person. But in any case, they can cause major problems in your social and personal life. If you think you might have PTSD, there are certain ways to identify it. PTSD symptoms are generally grouped into four major types. They are as follows:
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Intrusive Memories
These refer to mental imagery-based impressions that intrude your mind involuntarily. They are quite potent and emotional, and can make you feel as if you are going through the entire event again. Symptoms of intrusive memories can include:
- Severe emotional distress, including physical reactions to something that reminds you of the event
- Troubling dreams and nightmares about the traumatic event
- Flashbacks, that is, reliving the traumatic event in a detailed manner
- Physical sensations such as pain, feeling sick, trembling and sweating, which contribute to reliving the event
- Recurrent, imposing and unwanted memories of the event. These are anxiety-inducing and can cause a lot of havoc in your life
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Negative Changes in Mood and Thinking
Some people have constant negative thoughts about their traumatic experience. This can look like them repeatedly asking themselves questions that inhibit their progress and prevent them from coming to terms with the event. For example, they can wonder why the event happened to them, or if there was anything they could have done to prevent it from happening. Such questions are usually associated with guilt, shame and despair even if the person was not responsible for the event at all. These feelings can then affect their mood. Symptoms include:
- Negative thoughts about oneself, or other people
- Negative perception of the world
- Hopelessness about future
- Issues with memory; this includes not being able to remember key details of the event
- Difficulty experiencing positive emotions
- Feeling emotionally detached and numb
- Feeling detached from family and friends
- Lack of interest in activities previously enjoyed
- Trouble maintaining relationships
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Avoidance
Some people try to avoid being reminded of the traumatic event. This can look like:
- Avoiding anything that reminds you of the traumatic event; this includes people, places and activities
- Feeling like you have to be busy
- Feeling physically detached or numb from your body
- Feeling emotionally detached from your feelings
- Using alcohol or drugs to avoid remembering anything
- Being unable to express affection to anyone
- Being unable to remember the details of the event
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Changes in Physical and Emotional Reactions
A traumatic event can affect your physical and emotional reactions. You can often find yourself feeling anxious and on the edge. Other symptoms of changes in physical and emotional reactions include:
- Being easily startled or frightened
- Constantly being wary and on guard for danger
- Irritability
- Trouble sleeping, including insomnia
- Difficulty concentrating
- Anger outbursts
- Self-destructive behavior, like drinking a lot or driving recklessly
If you have disturbing thoughts for more than a month, reach out to Dr. Nazish Imran and discuss your emotional state before your symptoms can worsen.
