What Is PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health disorder that occurs when a person experiences or witnesses an event or series of events that involve actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence.[1] PTSD is not a weakness. It is simply your body’s neurological system attempting to protect you from harm. However, because of the past traumatic experience, many people remain in a hyper-vigilant state long after the trauma has ended.
While anyone can develop this condition, PTSD has significantly more prevalence among veterans and first responders due to the repeated, high-intensity nature of the traumatic events they encounter in the line of duty.[2]
Some examples of traumatic experiences that may lead to the development of PTSD include:
- Combat
- Sexual assault
- Childhood abuse
- Accidents
- Natural disasters
- Unexpected death of a loved one
- Witnessing violence
- Repeated or prolonged exposure to the aftermath of violence or graphic accidents
It is important to remember that trauma is deeply personal. Two people can go through the same situation and walk away with different levels of distress, but that doesn’t make one person’s experience any less real than the other’s.
Symptoms of PTSD are typically divided into four clusters [3]:
- Re-experiencing: Flashbacks of the traumatic event, nightmares related to the trauma, and intense emotional or physical reactions related to memories of the trauma.
- Avoidance: Avoidance of thoughts, feelings, people, places, or situations which trigger reminders of the trauma.
- Negative changes in thinking and mood: Persistent negative self-belief or thoughts about the world, detachment from others, lack of interest in previously enjoyable activities. inability to enjoy anything.
- Hyperarousal: Being easily startled, trouble sleeping, increased irritability and anger outbursts, trouble concentrating, and constantly feeling on guard.
Types of PTSD
While the DSM-5 does not identify subtypes of PTSD, many therapists and researchers commonly refer to various presentations of PTSD in those who are diagnosed with this disorder, which reflects specific clusters of symptoms and types or patterns of trauma experienced.
- Acute: PTSD symptoms last less than three months after the initial trauma.
- Chronic: PTSD symptoms last three months or longer after the initial trauma.
- Delayed-onset: PTSD symptoms emerge more than six months after the initial trauma, sometimes triggered by a stressor
- Complex PTSD (C-PTSD): Usually associated with multiple or long-term trauma such as physical or sexual abuse or domestic violence, and has all core PTSD symptoms as well as difficulty with regulating emotion, and a negative perception of self and others.
Understanding which presentation a client is experiencing is an important part of building the right treatment plan, which is why a thorough clinical assessment is always the starting point at Meridian Recovery.
The Link Between Trauma and Substance Use
The connection between post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse is well-documented in behavioral health. According to an NIH research article, there is strong evidence that PTSD and alcohol or drug use co-occur at rates far above chance, with each condition significantly increasing someone’s vulnerability to the other.[4]
Many times, a person with trauma will self-medicate as a way to cope with PTSD symptoms like hyperarousal, unwanted memories, or insomnia. People who have not been correctly diagnosed and treated may believe that these substances are the only solution available to relieve them of their distress.
While alcohol, opioids, marijuana, and other substances may provide short-term relief, if a person continues this pattern, it will worsen their PTSD symptoms, interfere with the brain’s natural way of processing trauma, and create additional suffering that makes recovery from both conditions more difficult.
Substance use also increases the risk of trauma exposure itself through situations of intoxication, impaired judgment, or the dangerous environments that often accompany addiction. This means the relationship between the two conditions can be self-perpetuating.
What Triggers PTSD?
PTSD triggers can be internal or external reminders of trauma and are capable of reactivating the trauma response, sometimes years after the traumatic event.[5] The following are some common PTSD triggers:
- Sensory experiences associated with the trauma (sounds, smells, places, or images)
- Anniversaries of the traumatic event
- News coverage or media depictions of similar events
- Interpersonal conflict or situations that mirror the dynamics of the original trauma
- Physical sensations such as a racing heart or difficulty breathing
- Certain social situations or environments
- Stress and fatigue, which lower the threshold for triggering a trauma response
Understanding one’s triggers is an essential part of the treatment and recovery experience for PTSD. In the co-occurring model, triggers for PTSD symptoms are typically also triggers for substance use. When treating PTSD, it is critical to address all triggers.
When to Get Help for PTSD
It is common for people to experience distress for at least a short period of time after experiencing a traumatic incident. For some, the symptoms from those experiences resolve themselves in a few weeks. However, if symptoms continue for longer than that, begin to worsen, or start to affect someone’s ability to function, symptoms may have developed into PTSD.
If any of the following apply, it may be time to seek help:
- PTSD symptoms have persisted for longer than one month and are not improving
- You are using drugs or alcohol to cope with your trauma
- Flashbacks, nightmares, and hypervigilance are interfering with your everyday functioning
- You are avoiding people, places, or activities due to distress related to the trauma
- You feel emotionally numb, disconnected, or feel no hope for the future.
- You are experiencing problems with relationships, work, or physical health as a result of your PTSD
- You have made attempts to resolve your issues on your own and have not gotten results
Whatever symptoms you are facing, you do not have to carry this alone. Meridian Recovery is here to help.
Can PTSD Go Away on Its Own?
PTSD symptoms can lessen over time for some people, especially those with one-time traumas where there is a healthy support system in place. For the majority, however, PTSD does not go away without treatment and symptoms can persist for many years, even decades. Untreated PTSD will trap a person in an ever-narrowing world as avoidance behaviors, emotional numbness, and self-medicating continue.
Fortunately, PTSD is a mental health disorder for which evidence-based treatment works very well, especially trauma-focused therapies like CBT. If you receive the appropriate care, recovery will not only be possible, but it is a likely outcome.
