Have You Been Misdiagnosed?
Understanding the Signs and Symptoms of PTSD
When we hear the term Post Traumatic Stress Disorder images of battle scarred soldiers, subjected to violent combat and deep personal loss, are most likely to arise. When we think about work related PTSD, we usually think of more ‘obvious’ lines of work such as firefighters, police officers, and EMTs working near death, extreme shock and other dramatic circumstances almost daily. While the prior are all clearly people who are at higher risk, PTSD affects many men and women in our Nation’s workforce, and they may not even know it…
Any high stress or dangerous environment can place workers at risk of developing PTSD. Some other frequent sources of work-related PTSD include the involvement and/or witnessing of serious accidents, physical injury and bullying. But because individuals respond to different stresses uniquely, it is next to impossible to wrap up the causes of PTSD in a neat little box. However, knowing the symptoms can help to identify this disorder.
So what are the symptoms?
Some of the common symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder include:
- Reliving the traumatic event through thoughts, flashbacks, and nightmares
- Experiencing a rapid heartbeat and sweating while reliving the traumatic event
- Feeling numb
- Feeling emotionally detached from other people
- Sleep disturbances
- Irritability
- Avoidance of anything associated with the trauma
- Anger
- Difficulty concentrating
- Amnesia
- A strong response when shocked
- Always feeling ‘on guard’
- Difficulty working
- Difficulty with social situations
- Inability to properly care for loved ones
Stress can also have a negative effect on the body. Common physical symptoms of PTSD including headaches, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart attacks, vomiting/diarrhea and fatigue. Note: The onset of symptoms usually occurs within three months of the incident, but may not occur for several years.
Unfortunately, like society, many mental health professionals misinterpret PTSD symptoms as an inherent problem, often leading to the misdiagnosis of PTSD as depression, anxiety, adjustment disorder or borderline personality disorder. Aside from inadequate treatment due to misdiagnosis, continuing to think of PTSD only in terms of combat veterans, violence and near death experiences, creates a feeling that a sufferer’s own pain and experience is ‘trivial’ in comparison to the more obvious triggers of PTSD.
If you think you might have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, do not wait to seek out medical treatment. Anyone with PTSD is at a much higher risk for suicide. Even the most peaceful of people have committed un-medicated harm towards others and self injurious behaviours during the wake of a PTSD episode.
A mental health condition is no less serious than a physical injury and must be addressed in the same manner.
If you’ve experienced any of the above symptoms and wonder if the cause may be associated with PTSD, you’re not alone. Almost 5 million Americans will suffer from this disorder a year. But there’s no need to lose hope! Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is highly treatable, however, waiting will increase your symptoms of anxiety and increase treatment time. Please contact the caring and supportive staff at Privy Oasis, LLC today if you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms—the sooner you reach out for an evaluation, the sooner your recovery can begin.
Always in Your Corner,
Taaka M. Cash
DNP, MPH, MSN, RN, FPMHNP-BC