Are you wondering if you have PTSD?
Have you experienced a traumatic event?
PTSD untreated suppresses the trauma; many years later, the symptoms can recur when a triggering event brings the trauma out.
Free Downloadable PTSD Checklist Here
PTSD SYMPTOMS CHECKLIST
Traumatic shock – disbelief – betrayal
A slow-moving replay of what happened
Always on guard
Hyper-vigilant
Your mind works hard to find safety and feel stable
Experiencing Fear
Experiencing anxiety
Experiencing depression
Anger unlike anything else you have ever felt before
Numbing pain
Nightmares – daymares
Reliving the trauma and past
Fog – you don’t know what is going on – you forget everything?
You can’t concentrate
Walking in circles like a zombie
Dissociative reactions
Avoidance
Loss of interest
Flashbacks – triggers everywhere
Increased arousal
Self-destructive or reckless behavior
Exaggerated startle response
Loss of all self-esteem
Abandonment wounds are created or amplified
Physical reactions (e.g., heart pounding, trouble breathing, or sweating) when something reminds you of a stressful experience from the past
Do you avoid activities or situations because they remind you of the past?
Trouble remembering important parts of a stressful experience from the past?
Victims of PTSD report feeling distant or cut off from friends and family
Feeling emotionally numb or being unable to have loving feelings for those close to you
Does it feel as if your future will somehow be cut short?
Do you have trouble falling or staying asleep?
Do you feel irritable or have angry outbursts?
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT PTSD?
Question: IT’S BEEN A WHILE – SHOULDN’T I BE OVER MY TRAUMA BY NOW?
Trauma (PTSD) stays inside our brains and as time goes on, the effects of the memories can get buried and be triggered without notice. If left untreated, the PSTD can reappear at any time and the symptoms can come back. The key is to get started as soon as you are ready/able to make a change in your life.
Question: IS IT EVER TOO LATE TO GET TREATMENT? I THINK I HAVE FORGOTTEN MOST OF THE DETAILS.
The good news is it’s never too late to work on your trauma and PTSD. A large number of trauma and abuse victims didn’t even know that they were being abused, which can result in the trauma being buried. Decades can separate trauma and treatment. Locate a trauma specialist – look for modalities such as Brainspotting and EMDR. Digging into trauma takes someone expertly trained so please check their qualifications.
Question: SHOULDN’T I BE ABLE TO HANDLE THIS MYSELF?
Often it takes more strength to get help than struggling to heal alone. Men are more reluctant to reach out for help, conditioned by our culture to suppress feelings of vulnerability. Seeking help does not mean that you’re crazy, that you’ll always need help, or that you failed in coping alone.
The bottom line is, life is too short to suffer in silence. Even if you’re not sure you are/have been abused, if it is in your mind, no harm can come from asking for a professional’s opinion. As we have been taught since elementary school: no question is a bad question. Mental health services have been stigmatized for too long.
