Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) it is an anxiety disorder, and it is a complex disorder due to clients complaining of a range of issues that are the expression of extreme anxiety and sometimes depressive tendencies. Depression can also happen alongside PTSD.
People could feel anger if the trauma was resulted from neglect or malevolence of another person. The anger creates irrational beliefs like guilt and shame “What if I am to blame”?
PTSD is associated with major changes in self-perception and self-esteem and they are saying about themselves 'I am guilty'; 'I am weak'; ‘I should have prevented it'; and so on. The acute need to get over the incident as quickly as possible can only create more negative self-regards and increases the disappointment.
There is research now, showing that the current situation has many potential sources of trauma, such as experiencing the loss of a loved one. For some people, this can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or enhance the symptoms for those ones who were coping with.
The following are common in PTSD:
• Flashbacks so intense that you feel as though the trauma is occurring again
• An attempt to avoid thoughts or feelings associated with the trauma
• An attempt to avoid activities or external situations associated with the trauma
such as developing a phobia about driving after you have been in an auto accident
• Emotional numbness—being out of touch with your feelings
• Feelings of detachment or estrangement from others
• Losing interest in activities that used to give you pleasure
• Persistent symptoms of increased anxiety, such as difficulty falling or staying asleep,
difficulty concentrating, startling easily, or irritability and outbursts of anger
• Nightmares related to the event
•Repetitive, distressing thoughts about the event
Hypnotherapy is helpful in enabling people with PTSD to work through those memories of the disturbing incident. Relaxation suggestions, breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation techniques are practiced to better control anxiety symptoms.
If you are working/living/ interacting with someone with PTSD an important requirement is to offer them compassion, empathy and understanding because they often can feel ashamed of themselves and their problems. Be gentle!
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