Post-traumatic stress disorder is a common condition. According to the World Health Organization, 3.9% of the world’s population has experienced PTSD at some point. When most people think of PTSD, they think of survivors of violent trauma. However, the condition can be triggered in many other ways. In this article, we answer some common questions about PTSD. What are trauma-related disorders, can bullying cause PTSD and is there a link between PTSD and addiction?
What Are Trauma-Related Disorders?
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition) defines trauma-related disorders as mental disorders in which a traumatic event or chronic stress is specifically listed as a diagnostic criterion. Several disorders fall into this category, including acute stress disorder, prolonged grief disorder and PTSD. These conditions present in a variety of ways and have a range of symptoms.
Can Bullying Cause PTSD?
Being a victim of bullying can be a traumatic experience, but can bullying cause PTSD? Research suggests that if someone is a victim of bullying over a prolonged period, they can develop PTSD even if individual incidents are minor. One study into the effects of role conflict and workplace bullying found that both types of conflict can increase the risk of PTSD. Contrary to popular belief, it isn’t necessary for a person to experience one-off, significant or violent trauma to show PTSD-like symptoms.
Common Types of Trauma-Related Disorder and Their Symptoms
As previously mentioned, trauma disorders come in several forms. Some common examples include:
- Acute stress disorder. Ongoing anxiety, stress or the feeling of reliving a traumatic event can be symptoms of acute stress disorder if these symptoms occur immediately after the event and last for 1-3 months.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder. Low or dysphoric moods, flashbacks to traumatic events and symptoms of fear or anxiety when exposed to triggers are examples of symptoms of PTSD.
- Persistent grief disorder. Symptoms of grief that last for a prolonged period and interfere with a person’s ability to engage in daily activities are often classified as an example of persistent grief disorder.
- Adjustment disorder. If a person experiences emotional or behavioral symptoms following a significant change in their life, the symptoms could be attributed to adjustment disorder.
How Trauma Affects Mental Health
Trauma can naturally give rise to strong, negative emotions. In some cases, an individual can process these emotions effectively. In others, the feelings can become overwhelming, leading to trauma- and stressor-related disorders or otherwise harming a person’s mental health.
A person’s response to one type of trauma isn’t a guarantee that they’ll respond the same way to other traumatic events. For example, someone may appear to handle a life-changing event or a traumatic experience, such as a violent assault, without difficulty but experience survivor’s guilt after seeing others get hurt or killed in a serious accident. They might develop PTSD due to living in an unstable home environment or as a result of ongoing bullying at work.
Trauma can cause many emotions, including:
- Anger
- Worry
- Fear
- Numbness
- Irritability
- Confusion
- Restlessness
- Hypervigilance
- Shame
- Grief
- Shock
Everyone’s response is different, and how a person feels can change over time, making the road to recovery a long one.
Treatment Options and Therapies
Treatment options for PTSD and trauma-related disorders can vary depending on the disorder itself, its severity and the symptoms. Psychological interventions are a common option because they help people reframe the way they think. This can help reduce symptoms and make going about a normal life easier for a person experiencing PTSD or related disorders.
Some examples of psychological interventions include cognitive behavioral therapy and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. Both treatments follow similar principles, asking a person to think about their trauma while in a safe environment, so they can consider and alter how they react to it. Exposure therapy is another option that takes this a step further. Instead of simply imagining or talking about their trauma, the patient might be exposed to it or a trigger in a controlled fashion.
Once a patient is working with a qualified team of therapists and counselors, they may be able to develop self-care strategies that enable them to manage their symptoms while working on reducing their frequency. The goal of self-care is to equip the patient with the tools they need to lead a normal life. Some common self-care strategies include:
- Meditation and mindfulness
- Breathing techniques
- Regular exercise
- Building a support network of people to talk to
- Grounding techniques to help when a person is exposed to a trigger
- Abstaining from drugs and alcohol
- Maintaining a good sleep routine
- Using other routines to help manage day-to-day activities
Self-care doesn’t mean simply pushing on through a mental health crisis. If someone has been showing symptoms of severe trauma and anxiety, it’s important to work with a qualified professional to process their mental health challenges.
Coping Strategies for Healing
Healing from trauma can be a long process. The first step is to acknowledge the trauma and reach out for professional help to work through it. Restore Mental Health provides a variety of trauma treatment services for people struggling with grief, PTSD, anxiety and stress. These treatments take a comprehensive approach to addressing the symptoms of trauma as well as the underlying emotions and thought processes associated with the symptoms.
Using a mixture of holistic treatments, psychotherapeutic support and psychopharmaceutical treatment as necessary gives patients the best chances of success. Every case of trauma is different, and what works for one person doesn’t always work for another, which is why it’s so important to seek professional advice during a mental health crisis.
We Can Help You
If you’re struggling with trauma or concerned about someone close to you, contact Restore Mental Health today to learn more about our trauma treatment services and speak to one of our compassionate advisors in confidence.
