PTSD is a severe condition that people tend to associate with veterans. And they’re not wrong. Many people in the military have Post-traumatic stress syndrome. However, it’s not just people in the army or navy that have the condition. PTSD can affect anybody who has been through a natural disaster, sexual assault, or has experienced a violent crime. People who have experienced abuse in their lives can suffer from post-traumatic stress syndrome. Healing from PTSD takes effort on behalf of the survivor, and it also takes patience. You can’t rush healing from trauma. If you try to do that, you’re going to end up in more pain than you were in the first place. You can heal from trauma, but you need to be patient with yourself and understand that you deserve to be happy and live a fulfilling life.
Symptoms can vary
PTSD doesn’t look the same in every person. For people who are in combat, they may experience flashbacks or nightmares. Individuals who have anxiety because they were sexually assaulted may get panic attacks when they’re near an area where the assault took place. Those who experienced abuse from a family member or ex-partner may be triggered when they’re around that person. PTSD can vary in symptoms and triggers. It’s crucial to be patient with yourself and understand that identifying triggers can take time as well as working through them. One of the best places to do that is with a licensed therapist.
Therapy for PTSD
It’s natural to be nervous about getting treatment for your mental illness. But remember that PTSD will not heal on its own. You need to be prepared to see a mental health professional and work through these concerns. You may be intimidated to talk about your trauma because it isn’t easy to be vulnerable with a therapist at first. But, with time, you can open up and get help. The more open you are with your therapist, the better chance you have of healing from PTSD. You will always remember what you’ve been through, but your pain will lessen in severity with time. It’s crucial to be willing to put it out there and talk about your trauma with someone who understands and wants to help you.
Friends and family may not understand PTSD
Friends and family may not get PTSD, and that’s okay. Sometimes it’s hard to talk about trauma with loved ones because they don’t understand. They’re not doing anything wrong when they say they don’t understand. They haven’t been through what you’ve experienced. Talking with a licensed mental health professional can help because they’re experienced in trauma and helping people recover. In some ways, talking with friends and family isn’t necessarily helpful because they are not there for that purpose. Your friends are not your therapists. They’re there to have fun times with and vent to about regular life challenges. But your friends aren’t going to help you process trauma. That’s the role of a licensed therapist. You don’t want a friend to become a licensed therapist because that would be an unhealthy co-dependent dynamic. You want to lean on someone who understands how trauma works and can support your mental health.
Finding help for PTSD
Online therapy can be an excellent place to work through PTSD; If you feel like you have issues coping with trauma, you can find a mental health provider online at a company like BetterHelp who wants to understand and help you work through post-traumatic stress syndrome. Whether it’s flashbacks, anxiety, or depression, PTSD can take a huge toll on a person’s life, but it doesn’t have to if you’re willing to get help. So reach out for help and find a therapist who gets you and wants to show you how to heal.
ABOUT AUTHOR: Marie Miguel
Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health-related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.
Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health-related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.