A range of experiences can be considered traumatic but do not necessarily meet the criteria for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Big “T” trauma refers to events in which you thought yourself, or a loved one was going to be seriously harmed or die. Examples of Big “T” trauma include sexual assault, rape, combat trauma, serious vehicular accidents, serious medical events, surviving a physical assault or attack, surviving a significant natural disaster, etc. Little “t” trauma refers to events that were distressing but were not life threatening. Therefore these events will not qualify you for a diagnosis of PTSD. This being said, it is important to note that the consequences could be just as great as Big “T” trauma. Examples of Little “t” traumas include being bullied, being subject to a mean parent, discovering your partner is cheating on you, going through a difficult divorce, etc.
The traumatic event could have been directly experienced, witnessed, indirectly experienced or repeatedly indirectly experienced: The traumatic event could have happened directly to you, or you could have been witness to a traumatic event in which another person was severely injured or died. Indirect exposure would include hearing about a loved one’s significant trauma. And finally repeated extreme indirect exposure would include individuals who are in careers in which they a repeatedly exposed to distressing events. For instance, a military doctor who treats severely wounded veterans, a social worker who works with child abuse, or a detective who works on violent crime cases.
It is normal to experience PTSD symptoms after a traumatic event: It is healthy and normal to experience PTSD like symptoms after going through a traumatic event. In fact, a diagnosis of PTSD cannot be met unless the symptoms persist for a few months after the traumatic event.
Delayed reactions to traumatic events can occur: Delayed onset PTSD means that symptoms started to appear six months after the trauma happened. Sometimes PTSD symptoms may be there but are minimal until another life event can cause symptoms to become full-blown. Life events that could trigger the PTSD symptoms later in life could be giving birth, having a child at the same age in which your trauma occurred, retiring, moving, going through a divorce, etc.
About a quarter to a third of all people who experience a traumatic event will develop full-blown PTSD: Most people exposed to traumatic events will experience PTSD like symptoms after the event. However, not everyone’s symptoms will persist long enough to meet the diagnostic criteria of PTSD. Regardless trauma informed therapy like EMDR therapy can be useful in resolving PTSD and trauma symptoms.
It is important to distinguish PTSD symptoms from symptoms related to Traumatic Brain Injury: PTSD symptoms and Traumatic Brain Injury symptoms often overlap. They also both occur from traumatic events (surviving an IED, surviving a severe car accident, surviving a physical assault in which there was head trauma). The treatment of these disorders is different, so it is important to see a Traumatic Brain Injury specialist if your trauma involved a head injury.
Personality changes are common with PTSD: The symptoms of PTSD may make yourself or your loved one with the diagnosis seem like a different person. PTSD symptoms greatly impact mood and the ability to regulate emotions making you feel like a different person.
Emotional states may vacillate between being aroused (on guarded, on edge, feeling anxious) and being numb (dissociating, feeling disconnected or checked out): This is a common presentation of PTSD. Changing between these emotional states can feel exhausting.
PTSD can cause physical changes: The toll of PTSD symptoms can cause ulcers, increase in blood pressure, increase in cortisol levels, muscle tension and pain, migraines, digestive issues, TMJ, etc. It is imperative to treat any medical issues that may be occurring with your PTSD. In addition because of the physical toll PTSD can take, it is important to make sure you are taking care of your health as best as possible.
PTSD can be effectively treated: Both cognitive behavioral therapy and EMDR therapy have found to be effective evidence-based treatments for PTSD. In addition to therapy, PTSD can be treated with psychopharmaceutical interventions and holistic interventions (like acupuncture, dietary changes, Reiki).
Experiencing PTSD? Better Being Main Line offers trauma informed therapy including EMDR therapy for treating PTSD. We also provide marriage counseling and couples therapy for couples struggling with surviving a traumatic event.
by: Heather Davidson Ed.M., MA, LPC, CST