Trauma is defined as events that occur outside of the normal human experience, such as natural disasters, accidents, and abuse, that threaten human life and create intense feelings of discomfort. Post-traumatic stress disorder involves direct exposure to a traumatic event or witnessing such an event through a loved one. It manifests itself with physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms. If the relevant symptoms continue for a long time, they begin to negatively affect the individual’s psychological functioning and daily life.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Being directly exposed to a traumatic event (related to death, serious injury, or sexual violence), witnessing a primary caregiver (such as a mother or father) or a loved one being exposed to a traumatic event and/or learning that the traumatic event happened to a primary caregiver/loved one, being exposed to all the details of the traumatic event (working in a job that involved witnessing the trauma at the time) can cause symptoms of post-traumatic stress in individuals.
Acute Stress Disorder
Not all individuals develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after being exposed to a traumatic event. During this process, the brain determines its priorities for the unusual situation experienced and prioritizes survival behaviors. It is alert to whether the life-threatening situation continues and remembers this new information over and over again in order to process it. During this period, some people may lose their orientation to time and place. They may have difficulty undertaking cognitive tasks.
In acute stress disorder, symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress disorder are observed: Feeling like you are reliving the event, memories related to the event coming to mind involuntarily and repetitively, details coming back to mind (flashbacks), dreams about the event, feeling like the traumatic event is/will be recurring, negative affect (things that were enjoyable are not as enjoyable as before), feeling like the event happened to someone else, avoidance reactions (staying away from environments/situations that will remind you of the trauma), hyperarousal (sleep, concentration problems, angry outbursts), and guilt are observed. These symptoms can last from three days to a month. If the symptoms continue after this period and disrupt the person’s functionality to the point where they cannot continue their daily life, it is very important to get support from a mental health professional (psychologist/psychiatrist).
Observed Symptoms Associated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Symptoms observed after a traumatic event may manifest in different ways: Involuntary revival of scenes/memories related to the traumatic event, restlessness, disturbing recurring dreams, nightmares, flashbacks (feeling that the traumatic event is happening again), sensitivity and reaction to internal or external cues that may remind the traumatic event, avoidance of situations that may remind memories, thoughts and feelings related to the traumatic event, desire to stay away/avoid people/places/environments related to the event, negative changes in mood (sadness, fear, anger, confusion, feeling of blame and shame), physical and verbal aggression, angry outbursts, indifferent/reckless attitude, self-harming behaviors, social withdrawal, lack of interest in things previously enjoyed, suicidal ideation, decreased emotional expression, hypervigilance, exaggerated fearful reactions, difficulty concentrating, sleep problems (difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep), difficulty remembering details of the event, feeling of alienation, positive mood inability to feel (e.g. happiness, feeling loved), negative beliefs about oneself, others, and the world (“I am a bad person, people are untrustworthy, the world is a dangerous place”).
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If one or more of the symptoms listed above persist for more than a month, it is very important to seek support from a mental health professional (psychiatrist, psychologist).
Causes of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Abuse (physical, emotional, sexual) in early childhood or adulthood, long-term abuse, neglect (inability to respond to the child’s physical and emotional needs), loss of a loved one, chronic diseases (conditions that require long-term medical intervention), natural disasters (such as earthquakes, hurricanes, floods), traumas caused by human actions (such as accidents, physical/sexual violence, torture, genocide, war), life events such as moving, divorce, and adoption can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder.
Not every trauma experienced in childhood leads to post-traumatic stress disorder. If the emotional, behavioral and thinking symptoms observed after the trauma occur for a month or longer, it can be called post-traumatic stress disorder.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment
There are different psychotherapy methods used in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. In addition to psychotherapy, medical treatment is also among the frequently used approaches, depending on the severity of the observed symptoms.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is one of the most commonly used therapies for post-traumatic stress disorder. Providing psychoeducation to the child and family on the symptoms observed after the traumatic event, and providing skills to cope with the intense anxiety experienced after the event (relaxation, relaxation exercises, etc.) are among the methods used. Memories of the traumatic event are fragmented in the child/youth’s mind, and the child/youth may not remember the details. Another goal of therapy is to turn the traumatic event into a story with a beginning, middle, and end and to eliminate the clutter in the mind.
A traumatic life event disrupts the normal flow of an individual’s life; it breaks the connection between the past and the future. The traumatic event and its details are fragmented in the individual’s mind. The person cannot remember the details and has difficulty making sense of what happened to them. The fragmented details (images, smells, feelings, sounds) are brought together in psychotherapy and a story with a beginning, middle, and end is created with the testimony of someone else (psychologist/psychotherapist).
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization) is another method used in trauma intervention. Play therapy is also used in trauma intervention in young children. It is very important to work in close contact not only with the child but also with the family. In some cases, medical treatment can be used to alleviate the symptoms observed in relation to post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychotherapy and drug treatment can be continued simultaneously in the treatment protocol.
Common Beliefs About Traumatic Life Events
Many individuals who have had a traumatic life experience apply to psychiatric clinics with complaints such as panic attacks, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder that they cannot associate with the situation. One of the common beliefs on this subject is that if a lot of time has passed since the traumatic experience, it will no longer have an effect on the person. However, the emotions related to such traumatic experiences can shape a person’s relationships, emotions, and priorities in life even years after the event. Another common belief is that if the traumatic life event is still ongoing, there is no point in getting help unless this situation changes. However, in such chronic situations, psychotherapy support strengthens the person’s coping skills, helps them become aware of their options, and can protect the individual from the negative effects of the trauma and liberate them.
