When a person has a traumatic or very stressful experience, the body responds by cascading a series of internal events to trigger the fight-or-flight response.
This response can be quite helpful in the moment, as it can lead to actions that promote survival. When this happens, a part of the brain called the amygdala is activated, which aids in processing emotion and memory.
The nervous system is wired to help people learn from stressful events to protect themselves. Oftentimes, this can be useful. For example, if a person is allergic to wasps, this process will alert the person that danger is near when a wasp is present based on a past reaction to a sting. This can save a person’s life.
However, there are instances when individuals experience life-threatening events, and this reaction can become prolonged or intensified. Though the intent of the fight-or-flight response is to help individuals, a stronger reaction can emerge even when there is no danger present. This can develop into Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. Signs of PTSD include symptoms associated with intrusive thoughts (e.g. flashbacks, memories, nightmares), avoidance (e.g. of people, places, things, emotions, reminders of the event), increased reactivity (e.g. hypervigilance, easily startled, easily angered, sleep disturbances), and negative changes in thoughts and emotions (e.g. guilt, shame, personal blame, feeling worthless, losing interest in hobbies, memory difficulties, withdrawing from others). Though these symptoms may naturally arise in those who experience stressful events, if they last longer than a month, they may have escalated to PTSD.
FATOVIC
Anyone can develop PTSD. At any given time, about 5% of adults in the U.S. meet its criteria. Some groups who tend to experience PTSD at higher rates than the average population are women, veterans, first responders and victims of sexual assault.
The stress response is a normal part of human functioning and survival, but the development of PTSD can significantly impact quality of life. There are a variety of therapies available for the treatment of PTSD, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Prolonged Exposure (PE), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Cognitive Therapy for PTSD (CT-PTSD), to name a few. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is a leader in PTSD research and treatment. To learn more about PTSD, visit ptsd.va.gov. ¦
Mindful Minute by Robin Fatovic, Psy.D. with Counseling Associates of America, is dedicated to addressing mental health care and support for both individuals and couples. americascounselors.com/
