Life-threatening events such as natural disasters, acts of war, car accidents, or serious injuries (such as burns) leave deep scars on a person's psyche. The mental health problem that develops after these events is called post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Why does PTSD occur?
It is normal to feel fear at the moment of danger. it triggers the body's natural "fight or flight" response, protecting us from harm. But in people with PTSD, this stress reaction doesn't go away even months or years after the danger ends. The brain continues to warn of danger.
Main symptoms of PTSD
The disorder can be manifested as follows:
- Sticky thoughts and memories. Constantly reliving a past event.
- Severe nightmares. Sleep disturbances, often accompanied by frightening dreams.
- Hypervigilance and avoidance. Feeling the need to constantly check the environment for risks, as well as avoiding places and people that remind you of the trauma.
- Feeling of disconnection. It sounds like you're in a daze, and what happened wasn't real.
Posttraumatic growth and healing
In some cases, survivors of severe injury or trauma experience difficult moments mentally, but then find a new meaning in life and discover a powerful inner strength within themselves. In science, this is called "post-traumatic growth" (PTG). Gratitude and support from others fuel this growth.
However, if symptoms interfere with your life (or if you turn to alcohol and drugs to numb the pain), professional help is a must. Minder: on the platform you can find trauma therapy specialists who will help you safely process the traumatic experience and return to the normal rhythm of life.
