Experiencing Trauma

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Rape, torture, war and shootings. People live through and witness these things every day. They are also left with a lifetime of pain. Because so many people suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, it is important to know the symptoms and treatments What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Many people will encounter trauma at some point in their lives. Whether it affects them personally or they witness it happening to someone else, it is very scary. Experiencing trauma can affect people differently. Some people are able to endure the trauma and move past it fairly easily in time. There are people, however, that have a more difficult time moving past and getting over the bad experience. These people may have post-traumatic stress…show more content…
It is important that people can recognize the signs and symptoms. One of the most common symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder is increased arousal. This symptom is typically constant, whereas other symptoms are triggered by a reminder of the event. “The symptom can show itself in difficulty sleeping, irritability or angry outbursts, difficulty concentrating and usually startled reactions in certain situations.” (Nordenberg, 2000, p.2) For example, a soldier just coming back from war or combat or someone that witnessed a shooting or themselves was shot could be easily startled by something as innocent as a balloon popping. Another symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder is re-experiencing. “Re-experiencing can refer to having intrusive memories of the ordeal, flashbacks when awake, recurring nightmares, and exaggerated emotional and physical responses to triggers that remind the person of the event.” (Nordenberg, 2000, p.2) Flashbacks are when the person relives the traumatic event all over. This also comes with physical symptoms such as sweating or a rapid heartbeat. Any situation that reminds them of the ordeal can bring on such symptoms. A woman that was raped may replay the event over and over in her mind anytime she is reminded of what happened to her. A third symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder is called avoidance. After experiencing a trauma, people tend to avoid certain activities, places, thoughts or feelings that remind them of their trauma. (Nordenberg, 2000, p.2) An example of avoidance would be if a person avoided going near their neighborhood park because they were assaulted there. Avoidance also includes feelings of depression and emotional numbness. People with avoidance will usually withdrawal from social activities. They tend to want to be left
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