Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects millions of adults in the U.S. and across the world each year. Yet, many people go years without recognizing what they’re experiencing as based in trauma.[6] Having PTSD isn’t a sign of personal weakness or something you can think your way out of. In fact, it causes measurable changes in how the brain processes threats, memories, and feelings of safety.
Experiencing trauma can trigger your body’s natural survival system, called the “fight-or-flight response”, via the amygdala. For most people, this response calms down once the danger(s) have passed. But for those with PTSD, the brain continues treating the traumatic event as a personal threat, keeping the nervous system on high alert even after the dangers have passed.[2]
With this information in mind, let’s take a look at the conditions that can cause PTSD before we get to the symptoms.
Ultimately, not everyone who experiences a trauma will go on to develop PTSD. Several factors can be involved, including the severity and duration of the traumatic event, your previous mental health history, your social support, and your own individual neurobiology.
PTSD can be caused by a single event as well as prolonged exposure to things like chronic stress, abuse, neglect, or repeated difficult experiences over time. It can also stem from natural disasters, severe accidents, loss, and war.
Additionally, PTSD can develop immediately following the event – known as “acute stress disorder” – or surface much later, even years after.
PTSD symptoms tend to be categorized into four broad categories. These are:
Most people diagnosed with PTSD experience symptoms in more than one of these categories, though everyone is different. These symptoms can be constant or flare up in response to trauma triggers such as sounds, smells, dates, places, or situations that your brain associates with the original traumas, which aren’t always easy to place.
PTSD symptoms can also overlap and co-occur with other mental health conditions like depression or anxiety.
A more detailed description of the common signs of post-traumatic stress disorder in adults includes the following:[3]
Oftentimes, PTSD develops in response to a singular traumatic event, such as a car accident, natural disaster, or violent assault. Complex PSTD, written as “C-PTSD”, develops from repeated trauma – such as childhood abuse and neglect, domestic violence, and other difficult-to-escape situations.[4]
The core symptoms of C-PTSD are very similar to standard PTSD, but complex PTSD can often cause a greater difficulty with emotional regulation and shame. This can come alongside feelings of worthlessness and distorted feelings about yourself (though these symptoms can all also occur in regular PTSD).[4]
Additionally, many adults with complex trauma histories tend to receive diagnoses of other mental health conditions, including depression, borderline personality disorder, or anxiety disorders. While these dual diagnosis issues are commonplace with C-PTSD, they may also indicate misdiagnoses that don’t account for a lengthy trauma history.
Recognizing complex PTSD symptoms for what they are can be an incredibly important step toward getting the kind of help and support you need to start the healing process.
As mentioned above, research has shown that adults living with trauma-related disorders also experience much higher rates of co-occurring mental health conditions.[5] Trauma can quickly reshape the brain’s threat-detection and emotional regulation systems, creating opportunities for other diagnoses to come about as a result.
For example, anxiety disorders are commonly known to co-occur with PTSD. This is because hypervigilance and nervous system issues feed into issues like generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks, panic disorder, and social anxiety. For many, these conditions can become so intertwined that it can be difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins – and treating one condition alone usually produces limited success.
Depression can also frequently co-occur with trauma, overlapping with PTSD around social withdrawal, hopelessness, and losing interest in your favorite things and activities.
Additionally, sleep disorders, chronic pain, and some somatic conditions are all commonly reported alongside PTSD. This is because the body holds trauma in ways that can go beyond the mind. Therefore, physical symptoms that don’t always have a clear medical explanation can sometimes be rooted in unprocessed traumatic experiences.
If trauma has gotten in the way of your daily functioning, this is more than enough reason to reach out for help. Yet some adults delay doing so because their symptoms feel manageable or embarrassing, or they’ve normalized the way they feel.
Some signs that it’s time to seek out professional guidance include ongoing nightmares and sleep disruptions, emotional numbness that’s hard to shake and affects your relationships, and continuing to practice avoidance just to survive the day.
If your symptoms have lasted for more than a month, then reaching out for trauma therapy may be an excellent move. The outpatient level of treatment usually includes regular sessions with a trained clinician utilizing evidence-based approaches like cognitive-behavioral therapy and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. These approaches are designed to help you process your memories and reduce their impact on your nervous system.
For adults whose symptoms are more severe, inpatient PTSD treatment at a qualified residential facility offers a higher level of support. Sadly, many people don’t get the chance to address their trauma holistically. But attending inpatient treatment can give you the help and guidance you need to start and maintain the healing process – both in the mind and body.
A Mission For Michael (AMFM) provides treatment for adults experiencing various conditions. PTSD support is a phone call away – call 866-478-4383 to learn about our current treatment options.
See our residences in Southern California’s Orange County & San Diego County.
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If you’ve been living with the symptoms described above and haven’t found lasting relief, AMFM offers a new take on trauma-based treatment for healing in several states. Our programs combine evidence-based care with psychiatric support and holistic, total-person interventions, all within a residential setting designed to provide you with the space and stability healing requires.
We accept most major insurance plans and can verify your benefits when you call. Get in touch today, and let’s work together to build your best tomorrow.
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General Inquiry
If you suspect that you or someone you love is showing the signs of PTSD, it’s natural to wonder where these signs came from, whether they can get worse, or how long treatment takes. For this reason, we’ve provided the following answers to questions about PTSD symptoms in adults that we frequently receive.
It’s true that anyone can develop PTSD after a traumatic event, though some groups have higher rates of exposure to the kinds of trauma that can cause it. Veterans, first responders, survivors of domestic violence, and those with a history of childhood abuse are all statistically more likely to develop trauma-related symptoms.
Women tend to be diagnosed with PTSD around twice as often as men, though this is also likely a result of differences in how symptoms are presented and reported.
For many adults, it can, unfortunately. Without treatment, the nervous system can remain in a state of ongoing activation, and avoidance-based strategies that are used to feel protective may ultimately narrow your life over time.
However, the brain maintains its ability to heal and change at any age in the lifespan, meaning those who seek treatment can experience meaningful recovery no matter when they start.
It truly depends on the person and their needs. Some people start feeling better relatively quickly, while others (especially those with complex trauma histories) may need longer-term support.
AMFM supports you with cutting-edge treatment, holistic experiences, and astute clinical staff to ensure your comfort and provide the best possible treatment experience, no matter how long it takes. Give us a call today to get started.
At AMFM, we strive to provide the most up-to-date and accurate medical information based on current best practices, evolving information, and our team’s approach to care. Our aim is that our readers can make informed decisions about their healthcare.
Our reviewers are credentialed medical providers specializing and practicing behavioral healthcare. We follow strict guidelines when fact-checking information and only use credible sources when citing statistics and medical information. Look for the medically reviewed badge on our articles for the most up-to-date and accurate information.
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