Wisdom from the Trenches

I’m going to start by saying something controversial that some people will find hard to accept: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) isn’t a lack of faith or a stand-alone mental health issue – it is the side effect of an injury done the psyche, body, soul, and/or moral code of an individual. Symptoms I list later in this post are normal human reactions to traumatic events. A complete lack of response to a traumatic event does not indicate that the person is mentally stronger or better adjusted – it simply means that the person is likely in shock or in denial. Before anyone puffs themselves up and attempts to argue with me, I strongly suggest that person takes the time to fully research PTSD. I will explain it here, but I encourage everyone to dig further into this by themselves. Because it’s PTSD Awareness Month and we could all use a little more knowledge, insight, and empathy when it comes to PTSD.

Let’s begin by discussing the massive difference between PTS and PTSD. No, they are not one and the same! Post Traumatic Stress is an acute and short-lived condition where symptoms quite similar to PTSD manifest in a person’s life after a traumatic event, but usually subside significantly in intensity and eventually disappear within a few months after the event. On the complete opposite side of the trauma reaction spectrum is PTSD, a long-term condition where symptoms surface in a person’s life after a traumatic experience, sometimes even months after the event, and persist long after the event has passed (Source: American Psychiatric Association).

While the symptoms that manifest or surface for PTS or PTSD can be so similar, the major defining difference is the length of time it affects a survivor. For instance, Person A survives a horrific car crash and afterward is afraid to drive anywhere, has nightmares where their mind replays the event, and feels agitated when watching TV shows where a car accident occurs. These symptoms decrease in severity over time and eventually no longer govern that person’s daily life. Person A experienced Post Traumatic Stress (PTS). BUT…Person B is the victim of sexual assault or perhaps survives several attacks on a battlefield and, months later, when Person B comes out of shock, begins to experience panic attacks when around others, jumps at the slightest sound of alarm, becomes agitated when a loud noise frightens them, disassociates and sees themselves back at the event even though it is long past, and wakes up drenched in sweat and screaming due to night terrors. Person B is experiencing PTSD – a pervasive disorder that lingers far beyond the traumatic event.

What symptoms are some of the common indicators of PTSD?

• Agitation
• Iritability
• Flashbacks
• Hypervigilance
• Self-destructive behavior
• Social isolation
• Fear
• Severe Anxiety
• Mistrust of others
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Nightmares/Night Terrors
• Disassociation
• Emotional Detachment
• Intrusive Thoughts
• Guilt
• Loneliness (source: Mayo Clinic)

Obviously, some of the symptoms listed above are, in and of themselves, mental health conditions found in the DSM-5, so PTSD is kind of like an “umbrella syndrome”, the common thread connecting comorbid mental health conditions that surface in the aftermath of trauma.

To summarize what I’ve said thus far: PTS is acute and short-lived. PTSD is long-term and debilitating. Both are in response to traumatic events. Both are terrifying to experience. And both are also treatable. Notice I said treatable and not curable. While PTS diminishes over a short period of time and eventually fades from view, I’m not going to make the wild assertion that PTSD is completely curable in all cases, nor will I state that it is not ever curable. Time does not heal all wounds.

PTSD has hallmark, diagnosable symptoms and identifiable sources. But how PTSD manifests in a survivor’s life, how long it lasts, and at what severity, is unique to that individual. Entire groups who experience a single, horrific terrorist attack can have a wide variety of reactions to that traumatic event. Some may experience PTS, process the event, and move on in life without further complications. Others might experience debilitating trauma reactions for years or forever. We have yet to understand why.

What we do know is this: certain approaches to treating PTSD have proven very effective! From reducing the severity of symptoms to completely eliminating all signs of the disorder, treatment can make a marked difference in a survivor’s life. How do I know? One – because I’ve done my research, and two – because some of them have dramatically improved the quality of my life! So let me tell you about a few of my personal favorites…

1. Faith. Before you write me off as a raging religious lunatic, hear me out. Faith is simply having assurance in something unseen. I am a Christian and I have found tremendous healing, understanding, and purpose in trusting God. But I know that other forms of faith exist that have also brought people similar forms of comfort after experiencing trauma. Faith gives us perspective that we otherwise would not possess. It often helps us process difficult and painful events encountered in this life. Faith also gives its practicer purpose, something that is fundamentally essential to persevering through the worst of human experiences. Fredrich Nietzsche, a passionate atheist often quoted by Jewish author and psychiatrist, Viktor E. Frankl, once famously stated, “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” Faith undeniably gives human beings a why.

2. Medication. Yes. I, a Christian, said it. When incorporated into a comprehensive treatment plan, medication is highly effective in reducing or eliminating some of the most debilitating symptoms experienced due to PTSD and its comorbidities. I have often seen struggling individuals vehemently attack the usefulness, effectiveness, and necessity of taking prescribed medication for mental health conditions…often while self-medicating with drugs, alcohol, nicotine, addictions of various sorts, and while forcing those closest to them to cope with the fallout of their untreated medical issues – driving their family members deep into codependency, depression, and anxiety. Prescription medication is not absolutely necessary for healing to occur – it is a tool to aide struggling individuals. But prescription medication should also not be vilified because while it comes with side effects, so does alcoholism, smoking cigarettes or vaping, sex addiction, and illicit drug use. Choose your coping mechanisms carefully.

3. Counseling. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Talk Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Prolonged Exposure Therapy, Group Therapy, and many more. There are so many different approaches and techniques in the field of psychotherapy that can be beneficial to a survivor. But here is where many survivors become discouraged: they try one counselor or one method, don’t like it, and swear off of all psychotherapy forever. This is similar to a small child trying a green bean, hating it, and vowing never to eat any vegetables ever again. As with our likes and dislikes when it comes to food, we each have unique comfort levels and discomfort levels when it comes to mental health treatment. It’s difficult to keep an open mind when it comes to addressing extremely painful and traumatic events, but it is essential to finding true relief.

4. Alternative Forms of Healing. Yoga, acupuncture, massage, hyperbolic oxygen therapy, equine therapy, volunteering, meditation, supplements, hypnotherapy, exercise, journaling, herbal medicines, and deep breathing practices can be very useful to many people struggling with PTSD. While this is not an exhaustive list and I don’t personally endorse everything listed or available as a proven and effective form of healing, it would be dismissive of me to leave these out of the conversation. I have personally incorporated body movements much like tai chi or yoga into my daily routine with some improvement due to gaining core strength and practicing intentional deep breathing along with these movements. Hiking is also super helpful exercise that forces me to reset my breathing when I am hyperventilating and gets me out in nature, which also has a therapeutic effect on people. I have stated many times that as a wordsmith, I frequently use journaling to process my experiences, thoughts, and feelings with quite a bit of success. I find massage incredibly useful in relaxing the muscles most prone to tighten in response to perceived or real stress (something referred to as “armoring” when trauma victims’ shoulder and back muscles tighten).

After consideration of all things PTSD-related, this much I know: At the end of PTSD Awareness Month, ironically on PTSD Awareness Day (of all days), I will turn one year older…and that is kind of an exciting prospect for someone who thought they were destined to die at a very young age. I am not only reaching age levels I didn’t previously think possible, but I gain mental fortitude and emotional stability with each passing year as I follow the path set before me toward ultimate healing. I have doctors, medication, counselors, personal research, compassionate individuals who have taken an active part in supporting me, and God to thank for that. Because if there is one thing we all need to learn about PTSD, it is this:

No one should walk this path alone.