Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

'Trauma creates change you don’t choose; healing creates change you do choose.'

Healthy Place.com

And this my friends shows you how you can move yourself to go in the right direction of your life travels.

Now within this, as what can only be described as an awfully disruptive, mental health disorder, I would like to talk about the following areas:

• What it is.
• How it can affect a person's life
• How it is classified.
• Who can be affected by it?
• Current percentage affected by it.
• Diagnosis and treatment regimes.

Just to say as a starting point with this article, that I would first like to point out that, I have been a practicing United Kingdom (UK) Registered Mental Health Nurse (RMN) and a member of the United Kingdom Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) for the best part of the past 30-years in total. So I am putting together this article from a qualified position's perspective, and not from the viewpoint of those such as Tony Robbins who in his own right as a 'Life Coach,' does what he does as an income (for profit) earner. I, on the other hand, am writing this with the aim that I can offer free advice & support along the way.

The article below describes the many difference between an RMN, and that of a Life Coach, which I wrote earlier on Medium:

Please let me urge you that, 'when you are suffering from a mental health disorder in your life, please remember that it is important that you seek help. It is far beyond the remit or experience of any life coach to be able to help you in this field of expertise. A considerable number of people in this world go undiagnosed by the mental health field, due to these stigmas and unqualified people,' who I can only call ‘do-gooders.’

So let us take a look at the first point.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder caused by very stressful, frightening, or distressing events, or after prolonged exposure to the event.

There are many life events that can lead to someone developing PTSD. After working in mental health for 30-years some of these situations leading to PTSD can be seen as:

• Child Birth (and/or loss of a baby.)
• Physical or Sexual Assault.
• Exposure to Trauma events at work (eg, nurses, doctors, disaster & emergency response teams, and forces personnel.)
• Torture/Violation.
• Life-changing Accidents.
• Abuse (to include sexual, physical, emotional, religious, financial, or domestic.)

According to revised data by NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) in 2020, the 2014 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS), of Mental Health and Wellbeing in England, observed that the large general population sample, of 3.7% of men and 5.1% of women screened positive for PTSD.

According to the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual, edition 5 (DSM-5) PTSD was added to a newly recognized category, called 'trauma- and stressor-related disorders.'

Furthermore, the Internation Classification of Diseases, edition 10 (ICD-10) compiled by the World Health Organization (WHO)

How does PTSD affect your everyday life?

Let's first look at common concerns that a PTSD sufferer can experience, and then go on to serve some examples:

• Recall
• Avoidant Behaviors/Numbness
• Hyperarousal
• Destructive Behavior
• Anxiety
• Phobias

Recall: This is also more commonly understood as a 'flashback,' whereby during this event, you are 'triggered' by the past traumatic event in question. You may recognize and react to a certain smell, a certain noise, a certain taste, a certain picture (television, film, or photograph even,) which can evoke intense anxiety or distress, or even cause a person to engage in self-harm, such as cutting or forcefully vomit after a meal. Any image such as fire engine or police care, giving chase, or responding to an emergency with sirens and flashing lights, can be enough to trigger such a flashback response.

Avoidant Behaviors/Numbness: A person suffering the effects of PTSD may not feel anything at all during a memory flashback. For example, he/she may be completely devoid of any emotions whatsoever. A typical example of a person having been in a car crash may be lead to that person, avoiding the immediate route where the trauma occurred; leading them to engage in complete 'avoidance,' thereby taking that route. By actually NOT avoiding that particular area, would lead commonly to the person being 'triggered.'

Hyperarousal: This occurs when a person’s body suddenly kicks into high alert as a result of thinking about their past trauma. The real danger may not be present, although their body acts as if it is, causing lasting stress after a traumatic event. For example, someone with PTSD may experience sleeping problems , concentration difficulties, irritability, angry outbursts, panic, they may be very easily scared or startled, or they might hold onto a heavy sense of guilt or a feeling of shame.

Destructive Behavior: PTSD can also disguise itself through a mixture of the symptoms as with 'hyperarousal' above but, can also cause a person to engage with negative actions such as self-harming through cutting, forcing themself to vomit after meals, or damaging or defacing property.

Anxiety: Such as over-worrying, experiencing restlessness, panic attacks, or problems with concentration, or fatigue.

Phobias: Take a think about this one, because these can be very common for a person suffering PTSD. Have you ever been stuck in a lift in a shopping center, or whilst working in an office? If you have experienced this it can be quite difficult to get back into a lift again, or to do so would create a 'trigger' to create a further flashback, so typically suffering from, this, you may just avoid using a lift totally. Have you been involved in a car crash, because this alone may stop a sufferer from reentering a car full stop?

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In the very basic of words, PTSD can be seen as this saying describes below:

'Simple little things like a song or smell can be a trigger.'

Selina Bonser, Healthy Place.

To bring this to a close, I have written a short 8,000+ word short story which has recently been published as a Kindle ebook. My purpose for writing it is so that I can demonstrate just how the effects of PTSD can affect the life of just one person, trying to go about everyday activities. I hope you would purchase this, and find that it is of benefit in increasing & raising awareness of the subject of PTSD.

If you liked this article then please let me know by giving me a heart. Tips are always optional too, but, they keep allowing me to push my creativity forward, and keep the lights running into the wee small hours of the night, with a steaming mug of coffee by my side...

I love writing articles & fictional stories. They give me scope to express myself and free my mind. After working as a mental health nurse for 30 years, writing allows me an effective emotional release, one which I hope you will join me on.

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✨I can't wait to hear from you soon... Jonathan💕.