Trauma & PTSD
The Nystrom & Associates provider consulted for this article is Diana Ramone, MSW, LICSW, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, Outpatient Therapist.
Trauma is a person’s psychological response to a stressful or disturbing experience. Typically, traumatic experiences are sudden and unpredictable. There are several distinct types of trauma – however, if trauma that is interfering with day-to-day life is not addressed, it can lead to mental health conditions.
Learn more about the types of trauma on the trauma specialty page.
Symptoms of PTSD
The aftermath of a traumatic event, such as a car accident or sudden loss of a loved one, can cause extreme anxiety and stress - sometimes resulting in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD can occur to anyone who has experienced a traumatic event. Diana Ramone, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional at Nystrom & Associates, outlines the symptoms of PTSD. There are three categorical symptoms of PTSD:- Intrusive: These symptoms include anxiety, flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, and emotional distress. Further, physical responses (muscle tension, breathing changes, rapid heartbeat, etc.) are also common.
- Avoidance: Not wanting to talk or think about the trauma. In addition, avoidance includes social isolation, avoiding situations, places, people, and things that remind you of the traumatic event.
- Depressive: For example, poor self-esteem, feeling hopeless or helpless, feeling guilt-ridden, irritable, indecisiveness, poor concentration, low motivation, or pleasure in life are all depressive symptoms.
Practice Self-Care
If you’ve experienced trauma, make sure you take care of yourself. Self-care is significant on the path toward healing.“Self-care is not selfish. We all deserve to live peaceful and healthy lives. Self-care is the first step toward peace and wellness. The most important relationship you will ever have is with yourself, so treat yourself as your own best friend.” -Diana Ramone, Outpatient TherapistPart of being your own best friend is speaking to yourself with a compassionate voice, taking time to rest, advocating for yourself, and getting the help you need. All of these practices will help to improve your mental and physical health as well. Related: How Mental Health Affects Physical Health
Hope for Healing
While PTSD can be overbearing and seem hopeless, the opposite is true. There is hope to heal and move forward from trauma with the right support and treatment.“Trauma is often relational trauma; therefore, it is essential in having healing allies. A great first step is seeking a compassionate, supportive mental health professional whom you can trust and feel safe with. When searching for a qualified professional ask what training and experience, they have with trauma.”Even though seeking help is scary, it’s necessary to move forward and improve your well-being and the relationships in your life. If you’re interested in trauma therapy, look through our providers to find the right fit for you. “We as humans are wired to avoid pain. If we touch a hot stove, we know not to touch it again. However, with emotional and psychological pain it is essential to turn towards painful experiences, not to dwell, but to understand. We have an innate need to understand our experiences and ourselves; however, it can be very difficult to understand traumatic experiences. A trained professional can help.” Related: PTSD & EMDR Therapy
