PTSD & Trauma Treatment Counseling

The severity and type of symptoms can vary significantly among people, but there are a few common symptoms:

• Have you experienced a traumatic event that you can’t get out of your head?

• Since that event, have you been avoiding things or people more?

• Do you now feel disconnected or numb from others?

• Are you losing sleep and are not sure why?

• Do you no longer feel safe in places that you used to?

• Have you lost your train of thought when people start asking you questions or watching TV?

• Do you feel down, hopeless, or sad?

• Are you moving around a lot more than usual?

• Does your mind playback to the traumatic event?

• Are you thinking about the thoughts when you don't want to, and are these intrusive thoughts drastically changing your demeanor?

• Are you having trouble functioning day today?

What does trauma feel like?

The physical and emotional changes in our body after exposure to a traumatic event are our body’s way of protecting us, which is why our body places us on high alert. Our body says: “I don't want this to happen again, so I am going to wire you never to forget what happened and always be on alert.” However, this stress throughout our system can wreak havoc on some of our major systems within the body. Additionally, the part of our brain responsible for critical thinking, problem-solving, planning, decision making, and emotion regulation goes haywire.

What is PTSD

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is essentially a memory filing error caused by a traumatic event. It can affect anyone after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault. During this kind of event, you may not have any control over what's happening, and you may feel terrified. Anyone who has gone through something like this can develop PTSD. It's normal to have upsetting memories, feel on edge, or have trouble sleeping after a traumatic event (also called "trauma"). At first, it may be hard to do daily activities you are used to doing, like go to work, go to school, or spend time with people you care about. But most people start to feel better after a few weeks or months. For some people, PTSD symptoms may start later, or they may come and go over time.

If it's been longer than a few months and thoughts and feelings from the trauma are upsetting you or causing problems in your life, you may have PTSD.

The defining characteristic of a traumatic event is its capacity to provoke fear, helplessness, or horror in response to the threat of injury or death and, therefore, can affect anyone.