Triggered:  Understanding Warning Signs of PTSD

By Anna Raab, Abundant Living Neurofeedback and Counseling

“I’m so triggered!” is a statement I started hearing my teenagers say a couple years ago, usually in a joking manner.  However, PTSD is no laughing matter and affects many people who aren’t even aware that their symptoms are trauma related.  In addition, many people do not know that the onset of PTSD can occur within a few months or even years after a traumatic event, which can make it very difficult for individuals to pinpoint.

As a result, patients may present with severe anxiety, depression, attention or sleep issues and not even relate these issues to the original trauma.  I have had many patients present with these types of issues only to discover that they are actually part of a syndrome perpetuated by a traumatic, or series of traumatic events.

Traumatic events that lead to PTSD are typically events that instill a sense of intense fear, helplessness, or terror.  Moreover, PTSD can be caused by witnessing such an event happening to another person and in some cases simply by hearing about such an event occurring.  In the context of our modern world, with endless news about violence and murder, I believe this is a more widespread problem than has been previously understood.

I have treated many patients who were first hand victims, but I have also treated multiple people who developed PTSD by merely being exposed to the knowledge of trauma.  Not surprisingly, none of the individuals were aware of the root cause until we began to track the onset of traumatic symptoms and frequent triggers.

So, what are the symptoms of PTSD?  Many of the symptoms may be surprising and seemingly unrelated.   You or a loved one may be affected and unaware.  For instance, physical pain can be a symptom of PTSD.  Headaches, digestive Issues, physical pain and a weakened immune system can all be warning signs.  More common are issues of hyper-arousal, which include insomnia, edginess, being easily startled, panic attacks, or generally finding it impossible to relax. Having excessive emotions, angry, irritable outbursts, or being emotionally shut down are also symptomatic.

Some people may begin to avoid any semblance of places or people who consciously or subconsciously remind them of trauma.  They may have generalized anxiety, depression or guilt that do not seem to connect to their actual life. Others may have overwhelming obsessive thoughts, not only of trauma happening to them but even seeing themselves become perpetrators of things they’ve seen or witnessed.

Memory problems are extremely common, not only having gaps in memory but developing general, wide-spread memory lapses.  Many of these symptoms can lead to severe attention deficits that are often misdiagnosed.  Sadly, some people turn to addictive behaviors to try to self-regulate and may find themselves completely out of control.

If you recognize yourself or a loved one in this article, please reach out.  I have helped so many people who have become captive to a traumatized brain. You don’t have to be captive any longer.

The Anxiety Epidemic: The Syndrome of Uncertainty

World renowned life coach Tony Robbins believes that the need for certainty is our number one human need.  “Certainty is our need to feel in control and to know what’s coming next.”  I found it very interesting that certainty is the antonym of anxiety, along with words like assurance, security, trust, and peace.

On the other hand, synonymous with anxiety is uncertainty, distress, nervousness, and restlessness.  Although he also lists uncertainty as a human need in its own right, I thought it noteworthy to correlate our need for certainty with an ever-growing epidemic of anxiety in a world of ever-increasing uncertainty.

With this said, over 18% of the population is in fact suffering from an anxiety disorder at any given time, with twice as many women affected as men, it is the most common mental illness.  And, although it is highly treatable, the vast majority of sufferers never seek professional help.

My desire in writing this article is to help you identify if you or someone you know may be suffering from an anxiety disorder that may be presenting in one or more of the following ways:

Most commonly, we associate anxiety disorders with excessive worry or fear.  In many cases these issues present at face value in the form of panic attacks or even flash backs of fearful events. These types of issues are definitely the most common and easy to identify, but even worry and fear can present in ways that one may not readily view as anxiety.

For instance, many of my clients present with irrational fears.  They may not even see themselves as anxious individuals but may suffer terribly from irrational thoughts that over which they seemingly have no control.

Often, we find these irrational fears are in fact a flair, of sorts, of an underlying anxiety that has formed itself around an available object or idea.  Compulsive behaviors are closely related, as they can irrationally center around an object or idea that is merely a projection of the underlying anxiety. Another example of anxiety’s expression is self-doubt.

When I have clients, who are constantly distracted by what others are thinking about them or their abilities, they may not automatically attribute this to anxiety but it is in fact the fear of what other people think or perceive that has nestled in as the over-arching ache of social anxiety.  In addition, clients may feel restless, edgy, or irritable.

These are not common descriptors for what one may call anxious, but at times can serve as the number one indicator of anxiety in some individuals.  Still others may even present with difficulty concentrating or simply blanking out and wrongly believe they are having issues with attention or cognition, when in reality their mind is so overwhelmed they are losing the ability to concentrate in leu of the noise.

Other manifestations that can be evidence of anxiety disorders are largely physical.  Sleep disorders, excessive muscle tension, chronic indigestion and stomach issues, along with physical pain and fatigue may all signal anxiety is at work.  Many individuals are merely treating the physical symptoms all while missing the underlying cause.

The great news is that there is hope for healing. At Abundant Living we have consistently helped individuals escape the epidemic and find a more joyful and contented life.  If you or someone you know is suffering, don’t become a statistic.  Reach out and let us take you by the hand.

The wonderful news is, however, that there is help!