Top Signs to Help You Identify PTSD in Someone You Love 

Have you ever experienced something that has left a lasting effect on your mind and completely changed how you view the world? Chances are a car accident, a drastic fall, or an aggressive event from your early years has stuck, giving birth to several fears and reservations about how you do things.

People go through several experiences that leave a mark on their personalities. For example, people who have been in car crashes before will be reluctant to drive or travel with someone who is a rash driver. Similarly, any experiences that alter how you see the world are traumatic events.

These traumatic events create a change in your neurological patterns, creating fears, reservations, and other forms of behavior patterns that might not always be considered healthy. For people that suffer from extreme forms of emotional, cognitive, and social effects of these traumatic events are said to have the post-traumatic disorder.

It’s a fairly common mental health issue that several people around us are diagnosed with. To learn more about post-traumatic stress disorder, continue reading!

Explaining Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD is a common form of mental health issue. People develop PTSD when they encounter events that are deeply unsettling or troubling to the human mind. These incidents could include car crashes, sexual assault, the death of a loved one, or more.

Traumatic events that cause PTSD often change a person’s perspective of how they see themselves and the people around them. Most people with PTSD could develop anti-social behavior, think less of themselves, or even indulge in self-harming patterns and habits. Having PTSD is an extremely difficult experience since most people suffering don’t know how to cope with or adjust to the recollection of those traumatic events.

PTSD isn’t age-specific, and people of any age and race can develop PTSD depending on the type and intensity of the trauma they experience.

People Likely to Develop PTSD

Since everyone encounters stress daily, most people out there have experienced intense stressful situations that have led to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder. However, several PTSD books talk about certain people or situations where PTSD is more likely to develop.

Some of the most likely people to develop post-traumatic stress disorder include the following:

• People who have been exposed to severe trauma.
• People who have been exposed to trauma several times in their lives
• Those who have a history of anxiety and depression in their families.
• The degree of emotional response that a person has towards the trauma they encounter.
• The reaction of your mind and body towards the trauma and stress you experience.
• People who work as soldiers, nurses, doctors, law enforcement, firefighters, and more.
• People who have encountered assault of any form and degree.

Early Signs to Identify Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

If you want to be able to treat post-traumatic stress disorder effectively, one of the main things you need to focus on is early diagnosis. The earlier you identify the distress; the sooner you can do everything to address it.

Several mental health books talk about early signs that can help identify the presence of PTSD in a person. Let’s explore some common symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Intrusive Flashbacks

Most people with PTSD tend to ignore and avoid the traumatic event behind the stress, which makes it very difficult for them to talk about it. When they suppress these feelings, they tend to get intrusive flashbacks. These memories or flashbacks feel very real and can leave the person with a high heart rate, sweating, and more.

If you find someone you love suffering from intrusive dreams, or find yourself reliving a traumatic event then you need to be on the lookout for other PTSD signs.

Developing Avoidance

As mentioned before, people suffering from PTSD due to a traumatic event will most likely avoid talking about it, addressing the issue, and therefore further internalizing the trauma. Have you experienced a friend or loved one who has been in a traumatic incident, such as a life-threatening disease, an invasive procedure, or a car accident is just avoiding talking about the event?

For example, if you talk about a car accident with someone who experienced it firsthand and they visibly seem uncomfortable and agitated with the mention, they could have some degree of PTSD.

Changes in Physical and Emotional Behavior

Many people suffering from PTSD experience drastic changes in physical and emotional behavior that might seem normal at first but can intensify as time goes on. These changes include the following:

• These people are easily startled by loud noises or surprising elements around them.
• They always seem paranoid, and try their level best to avoid unforeseen danger in life.
• People with PTSD might find it hard to fall asleep easily.
• People suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder are unlikely to concentrate with ease.
• They get easily irritated by very trivial things.
• They have a very strong aggression problem.
• Most people with PTSD tend to harbor feelings of guilt and shame.

Frequent Negative Thoughts & Moods

When someone experiences trauma, they experience changing mindsets and thoughts about themselves and the world around them. If someone is suffering from PTSD, here are some negative feelings or thoughts that they may encounter:

• Feeling of hopelessness.
• Negative thoughts and ideas about yourself and the people around you.
• Severe detachment.
• Absence of joy or excitement.
• An inability to express positive emotions to people around you.
• Emotional numbness.
• Difficulty remembering things.

Even though there are several books on mental health, Luis Trivino’s A Notebook of Love is a heartfelt account of what it is like to live with someone who has PTSD or to be someone who has PTSD. The book also talks about mental trauma, bipolar disorder, experiences as a war veteran, and so much more. Don’t wait any longer, and get a copy of the book today!