There is a stigma about talking about mental health and mental illness. People don’t want to admit that they are struggling. They want to either deal with it privately or pretend that they don’t have anything wrong. The less people know, the better.
In recent weeks, I was inspired by Ben Lawson, and I want to be able to do what I can to help people with mental health and mental health issues. Since I’ve learnt that Ben has complex PTSD, I wanted to learn more about it and be able to understand what he’s going through and what goes through his head. I don’t know his story on how he developed PTSD, but I can at least be there for him and understand the challenges he faces on a daily basis.
When you have Complex PTSD also known as c-PTSD or CPTSD, you experience some of the same symptoms of PTSD alongside additional symptoms. Difficulty controlling your emotions, feeling very angry or distrustful towards the world and so on. You think about your past trying to figure out where your PTSD started, it could be trauma from childhood, experiences in a war, anything that can alter your brain chemistry making it stay with you for life.
Mental health is complicated. There's so much we don't know about the brain. We're always learning more and trying to come up with new treatment on how to control what we find.
In some cases, its like a domino effect. When someone as one mental illness, it could trigger a whole new set of mental illnesses, but with the right treatment and the proper help, someone can control their illness and live a normal life.
Here are symptoms of PTSD that I got from the Raleigh House website:
1. Vivid Flashbacks
A PTSD flashback is when you relive your traumatic experience, and it feels like it is happening all over again right in that moment. These flashbacks can last anywhere from a few seconds to hours at a time.
2. Nightmares
Nightmares are one of the most common symptoms of PTSD. The unresolved trauma you’re experiencing can play out in your dreams, releasing stress hormones in your body and preventing you from getting a good night’s sleep.
3. Self-Isolation
As you experience flashbacks and lose sleep over the trauma, you may begin to isolate yourself from family, friends, and the greater community. Those struggling with PTSD often feel the need to protect themselves from triggers by isolating.
4. Depression
Those who struggle with PTSD can experience depression for weeks, months or years following their traumatic incident. In fact, research suggests half of people suffering from PTSD also struggle with a major depressive disorder.
5. Substance Abuse
It’s common for those suffering from PTSD to develop a substance abuse disorder, as alcohol and drugs can temporarily relieve depression, panic, and anxiety. Unfortunately, long-term substance use to cope with PTSD symptoms can lead to addiction.
6. Emotional Avoidance
There are times when just thinking about your trauma is overwhelming. Over time, you might avoid talking about it out of fear that it will trigger flashbacks and negative physical side effects like panic attacks. This mindset increases your risk of becoming more withdrawn from loved ones and friends.
7. Feeling on Edge, or Hyperarousal
PTSD can put you in a constant state of anticipation and fear. As a result, you might be quick to anger and prone to aggressive behavior. Being on edge can be emotionally draining and make it more challenging to cope with other symptoms.
8. Memory Loss
Memory loss can occur following a traumatic event as part of your brain’s defense mechanism since the hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex are all connected to both stress and memory. If your PTSD goes untreated, traumatic memories may resurface and cause substantial distress.
9. Trouble Concentrating
Anxiety limits your ability to concentrate on daily tasks. For this reason, those who have suffered a traumatic experience often have difficulty readjusting to work and home life since their thoughts are scattered or fixed on what they have endured.
10. Insomnia
People with PTSD usually experience a period of insomnia caused by an inability to relax sufficiently at night. Unfortunately, some people turn to alcohol or drugs in order to calm down.
11. Negative Outlook on the Present and Future
Having a traumatic experience can change your perspective on the world. This can result in a feeling of hopelessness with an inability to picture future milestones or growing to old age. You may also start to see yourself in a negative light.
Additional PTSD Symptoms
Beyond the seven symptoms already mentioned, 10 other common signs of PTSD include the following:
Feelings of intense stress caused by reminders of your trauma.
Physical symptoms like pain, sweating and nausea.
Panic attacks and anxiety
Feeling emotionally numb and struggling to regulate your emotions.
Struggling to show affection towards others.
Trouble maintaining personal and professional relationships.
I know it’s tough to be able to daily life with the fact that at anytime, anywhere, you will have an attack and need to step away from life and take care of yourself, but people don’t need to do alone. There are resources and people that will help you get through it. You don’t need to feel ashamed or embarrassed to admit that your brain isn’t normal. You can’t help what had happened to you. It wasn’t your fault. You’re a lot stronger then you give yourself credit for. You just need to take it one step at a time, one breath a time, one day at a time. Surround yourself with people who will take the time to check in and will go to great lengths to make sure that you’re alright.
*The original article from Raleigh House: https://www.theraleighhouse.com/addiction-blog/17-symptoms-of-ptsd