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| Overview of PTSD The symptoms of PTSD include:
Nightmares occur when the casualty tries to sleep. As their brain slows down and they enter the dream state the horrific memory dominates their thoughts and they often wake up screaming, lashing out at anyone in the room, even threatening or injuring their partners. After this they are then unable to sleep for the rest of the night. Many casualties with complex PTSD have not had a full night's sleep for 20 or 30 years! |
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| Emotional Shutdown is a natural defence mechanism to protect the casualty from the flashbacks and nightmares. But this often separates them from their spouse or partner who feels alienated or rejected. This coupled with the violent outbursts and mood swings often leads to marital breakdown and estrangement.
Hyper Arousal is he state where a very minor stimulus - say a child screaming, a car backfiring or the sound of breaking class will illicit a massive reaction from the PTSD casualty. In the case of a military veteran they may throw themselves to the ground and roll under a hedge or wall for cover. Even being in a building or situation that reminds them of the trauma is enough to cause a disproportionate overreaction. Avoidance Behaviour is a natural response to the problems of flashbacks and hyper arousal. As the casualty becomes more aware of the thoughts, ideas or situations that trigger their PTSD response they start to take extreme steps to avoid triggering the situation. They won't leave the house, or talk to people they served with, they can't watch television or eat certain foods. As the casualty loses control they frequently attempt to self medicate with alcohol or drugs. Survivor guilt is also prevalent in these casualties so they may self-harm and suicide is common. Often the casualty is in denial. They just can't see or won't admit that something is wrong. It is the spouse, partner, friend or parent that realises that there is a problem. And the immediate family members themselves can become traumatised by the behaviour of their loved one. So to provide more help to family members who are concerned about a loved one behaving unusually after a traumatic experience we have provided a free resource to help family members understand what is happening to their loved one. This resource can be downloaded from www.afterthefalklands.com/freechapter.html |
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