A ton has been written on the subject of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Unfortunately, most of it is quite abstruse and to make matters worse, it has a vocabulary of its own. In this blog entry I want to give my readers a basic understanding of PTSD, what it's like and how it's treated.

PTSD is a psychiatric condition that effects millions of people world wide. It is quite literally a mental scar left on your consciousness by traumatic events.

When I use the word trauma, I'm not just talking about a bad day. The sorts of trauma that lie at the root of PTSD often involve physical injuries, intense fear, panic and are often life threatening.

Many different things can cause it. PTSD was first recognized around the end of World War I in soldiers coming home. It was called shell shock. When these soldiers came home, they brought the horror of that war with them. Many had been horribly wounded and had lost limbs. Others had seen their friends chopped up by the score. It is no coincidence that drug abuse and addiction entered the national consciousness of the US, UK and Canada about this time.

While war is most often associated with PTSD, it can afflict anyone. Accidents, violent crime, assaults, rape, sexual and physical abuse can all cause the symptoms of PTSD.

What is PTSD Like?

Imagine that your brain with all of its memories is like YouTube. You have your favorites list- those favorite memories you like to think about like your favorite Christmas, meeting your true love, graduations, vacations and so on. You can chose to think about any of them whenever you want.

Then something horrible comes along like a car wreak in which you are badly injured.

That memory causes something like a glitch in your favorites list. Many of the good memories go away and that painful memory is stuck on repeat.

You re-live that memory over and over. It's like the pain and fear of the traumatic event are stuck in your head.

Whenever you close your eyes or your mind wanders- there it is in all of its horrific glory.

PTSD sufferers get flashbacks of these events- just like high definition video in great detail with all of the emotions attached.

Events that trigger PTSD are the worst day of many peoples lives. It's the very sorts of things that people would rather forget but it's stuck in your head in living bloody color! Talking about it and coming to terms with it is the only thing that will make it any better.

The Two Types of PTSD

Simple PTSD is defined around a single incident like an accident, crime or natural disaster. Obviously this is the easiest to treat and the prognosis is good.

Complex PTSD is a much more vicious animal. This is caused by a LOT of trauma over an extended period of time. Examples of this are Soldiers in war, children abused over periods of years or people who have experienced multiple traumas. This is a much harder to treat and requires a sustained effort.

Symptoms of PTSD

PTSD symptoms are generally grouped into four types: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, or changes in emotional reactions.

Intrusive Memories- we discussed above. It is the high definition video of the trauma replaying itself in your head. Nightmares, flashbacks and severe emotional reactions to reminders of the event are all part of the recurrent nature of intrusive memories.

Avoidance- trying to not talk about the incident and avoiding places or activities that are reminders.

Negative changes in thinking or mood- negative self image, inability to experience positive emotions, hopelessness, feeling emotionally numb and difficulty maintaining close relationships.

Changes in Emotional Reactions- irritability, hyper-vigilance, guilt, shame, insomnia, trouble concentrating and being easily startled. Drug and alcohol addictions are common coping mechanisms to people suffering with PTSD.

Yeah- all in all, it can be pretty miserable. The worst part- it is progressive. Untreated it only gets worse, causes all sorts problems and is at the root of a great many suicides.

Why Is It So Hard To Treat?

Talking about the causes of PTSD are the last thing a person suffering from this wants to do. I could try to shock you with some god awful examples but I think you get the picture. No one wants to talk about their worst day.

It is very much like an old wound that has become infected. It has to be opened up and the infection drained out before it can really heal. It hurts. It's painful but it is the only thing that really works.

The very thing that you most want to forget is what you must face.

The memories of that trauma never really go away but you can take the power to destroy you by inches away from those toxic memories. There's no magic. It takes time, courage, effort and, you will have to do some things you will not like but it can be done.