As a mental health issue, PTSD is not confined to servicemembers and veterans. It can affect any person who has gone through a significant and terrible life event. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “anyone can develop PTSD at any age.”
Psychological trauma is literally damage done to an individual’s mind. The damage can be caused by an event or situation, one so stressful and overwhelming that the brain loses some control over the body. The person then experiences physical symptoms as outward manifestations of the anxiety within.
Our nation’s military service members, both veterans and those still on active duty, are at greater risk for mental health and substance use disorders than the general population. A life of service in the military presents unique challenges for service members and their families. When service members are deployed, families have to adapt to a…
Trauma is the psychological and physical response to an event that challenges your sense of safety and leaves you feeling overwhelmed. About half of all people will experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. Trauma symptoms usually ease over time as the mind processes the event. However, sometimes the brain gets stuck in…
There is an indelible link between emotional trauma and addiction to drugs or alcohol. Scarring experiences, even those that have been relegated to an individual’s subconscious memory, continue to influence their daily behaviors and choices for months, years, or even decades after the dust has settled. To achieve lasting sobriety, clients must be offered guidance…
If you are struggling due to a traumatic experience, or injury, it can lead to serious problems with your daily life. Some trauma triggers include loss, natural disasters, invasive surgeries, or being a victim of violence. It can take years to recover from events like these, and trauma can rewire your brain to cause anxiety,…
The American Psychological Association defines trauma as an emotional response, yet we know that our bodies suffer physical symptoms as well. Indeed, a trauma-inducing event can wound all of our systems. It can affect our thought processes, sleep, digestion, immune systems, outlook on life, and how we feel about ourselves and others.
While Pysciatry.org indicates that “one in 11 people will be diagnosed with PTSD in their lifetime,” it is important to remember that such numbers, as high as they are, fail to take into account undiagnosed PTSD cases. There is an untold percentage of sufferers who have never seen a doctor, never gotten help, and perhaps attempt to “self-medicate” as a way to cope with the pain.
Substance abuse can sometimes be an attempt to self-medicate an issue such as anxiety or depression. Often, they occur so closely together it is hard to distinguish which came first. Like the chicken or the egg, did the substance abuse cause anxiety or depression or did the depression and anxiety lead to substance abuse?
The impacts of trauma during childhood often linger on into adulthood and can lead to the development of psychological problems and/or addictions. Indeed, research has established such a firm link between childhood trauma and substance abuse that some treatment facilities now offer concurrent treatment of addiction and any underlying trauma.