Recognizing Symptoms of PTSD
Symptoms of PTSD and other trauma/ stressor related disorders intersect closely with those of other mental health diagnoses, such as anxiety, depression, and ADHD. Taking a trauma-informed approach to mental health means recognizing that often, there are recent or historical traumatic events that are contributing to and maintaining current symptoms.
So, what are symptoms of trauma, and what do those look like in yourself, your child, or another loved one? Symptoms of PTSD and other trauma/ stressor related disorders can be divided into 4 main categories: Intrusion, Avoidance, Negative Cognitions/ Mood, and Arousal/ Reactivity. You may have symptoms in all four categories, or you may only have symptoms in a few. Let’s take a look at how each of these symptom categories might look in daily life.
Intrusion: Try as you might, the memories of what happened or thoughts about it just keep popping up. Somehow, the things you least want to think about are always on your mind. These memories may even come up as flashbacks (feeling like you are right back there in the trauma) or as nightmares or other confusing/ upsetting dreams that interrupt sleep. Plus, if you happen to see or encounter something that reminds you of what happened, you may find yourself flooded with distressing emotions and even physical symptoms of trauma, like your heart beating fast, heavy breathing, or chest pain.
For children, sometimes intrusive memories and flashbacks can be mistaken as hearing voices because they can feel so real and children often don’t have other language to explain what is happening. These symptoms in children may also come up as tantrums or outbursts of emotion that seem to happen for no reason (when really, the child may have just seen or heard something that reminded them of what happened to them, resulting in a flood of confusing emotions).
Avoidance: These symptoms are just what they sound like – you will do anything to forget what happened and to not have to think about it or feel all the upsetting emotions that come with it. Avoidance can also mean that you avoid any of the people or places connected with what happened. If it happened on Main Street, you might find yourself avoiding that street or that area of town. If it happened at a party at your best friend’s house, you might be unwilling to go back to his or her house (or, you may have even stopped talking to this person, despite a strong relationship before).
Since children are often unable to avoid these reminders in the same way, they are more likely to act out their emotions about having to go (i.e., crying, yelling, throwing things, etc.). Or, they may have a seemingly opposite reaction and shut down mentally emotionally, sometimes to the point that they may seem completely absent (i.e., you are talking to them but they are completely unresponsive).
Arousal/ Reactivity: A family member drops something in the room next door, and you jump a mile. You go out to the grocery store, but the whole time, you are scanning the area and looking over your shoulder. Because you are on guard all the time, you may also be more irritable or have anger outbursts when something unexpected happens. Plus, it’s hard to relax enough to sleep at night and you may have difficulty concentrating during the day. You may also find yourself taking a lot of unnecessary risks or doing things that could result in physical injuries.
Imagine how this would look in a child or teen attending school – outward signs can include grades dropping and increased behavior problems, such as anger outbursts with teachers and other students, sleeping on their desks because they couldn’t sleep at night, trouble focusing during class, and running around the classroom due to an abundance of anxious/ reactive energy. All of these same symptoms are generally seen at home as well. As you read this, you might be thinking, “Hmm. Some of these symptoms of trauma sound just like symptoms of ADHD.” Yes – these symptoms can look a lot alike, and can be easily confused in children.
Negative Cognition/ Mood: Some of these symptoms of PTSD mimic depression symptoms – for instance, you no longer enjoy the things you used to enjoy, you feel alone even when you’re with your family or friends, you find it hard to feel positive emotions like happiness or love, and you may experience intense negative emotions that can include feelings of sadness, guilt, or shame. In addition, other strong emotions that can be part of a trauma response include fear, anxiety, anger, and horror, among others. Cognitive symptoms of trauma look like difficulty remembering parts of what happened, blaming yourself or someone else, and strong negative beliefs about yourself, others, and the world (i.e., “Something is wrong with me,” “I’m out of control,” “the world is a terrible place,” “there’s no one I can trust”). All of this is just as true for children as it is for adults, with children often having fewer coping skills for managing all of these disturbing thoughts and feelings.
The great news about PTSD is that it is treatable! EMDR and ITCT are two evidence-based treatments for PTSD and other trauma/ stressor related disorders that can bring healing and hope. If you or a loved one are struggling with symptoms of trauma, contact me today. I would be honored to begin this journey with you.
