PTSD

Suicide Risk in Persons with PTSD: Warning Signs
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an unexpected response to a significant trauma. While the effects of PTSD can be disabling for those with the disorder, suicide is still an uncommon result of PTSD.
There are several risk factors for suicide. PTSD has a major correlation to suicide if the sufferer also possessed the following criteria:
- The person has experienced chronic symptoms (persistent symptoms for more than one year)
- The person also experienced childhood trauma or abuse
- The person has experienced a gender-specific depression component (This is typically disabling depression with women, and uncontrollable episodes of rage with men)
- The person is self medicating (in studies, those who self-medicated specifically with cannabis & alcohol were most correlated with suicide)
PTSD doesn’t have to be the main attraction in your life. Learn how to live through your challenges, and come out stronger. Contact us today
More about PTSD
When the past is ever-present: Examining Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
“Little did I know that in these dark moments of early motherhood, I wasn’t simply reacting to the stress-inducing challenges of being a new mom. I was also unexpectedly dealing with a series of present-moment triggers that were causing me to relive the excruciating...
The long-term impacts of 9/11: How to cope with PTSD after almost two decades
September 11, 2001 was a tragic day in American history. When the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon happened, it shook the whole country. It was even worse for those who were there to witness it in person. Innocent bystanders, employees just...
Both PTSD and anxiety can be debilitating, but you can learn to manage your symptoms
PTSD and anxiety: Does one cause the other? This question popped up recently when I was speaking with someone who has severe panic attacks, which are “debilitating” and require inpatient care. As this individual was sharing about their experiences, they told me that...
Can divorce cause PTSD? Therapy can help you heal from harmful symptoms like night terrors, flashbacks, and intrusive thoughts
PTSD is often painted a certain way: the result of war, car accidents, assault, and other violent events; however, deep-rooted emotional experiences can cause PTSD, too. Divorce can bring on PTSD, specifically symptoms like night terrors, flashbacks, and troubling...
Can an emotionally abusive relationship cause PTSD? Understanding the impact of trauma and how to heal
Any kind of abuse—whether it be physical, emotional, mental, sexual, etc.—can lead to PTSD, as abuse is a highly emotionally distressing experience. The overactivation of stress hormones causes the victim of abuse to experience a fight, flight or freeze response,...
How can PTSD affect relationships?
Posttraumatic stress disorder is a crippling disease that can have negative effects on one’s relationships. Triggers may cause the affected individual to lash out at loved ones. Avoidance symptoms may cause one to dissociate and neglect relationships. Hypervigilance...
Psychologists answer common questions about PTSD
Anybody who has been exposed to a traumatic experience in some capacity can develop PTSD. Symptoms of PTSD can vary from person to person, but affected individuals typically experience hypervigilance, mood changes, and loss of concentration. PTSD can improve or...
What does the recovery journey look like for people with PTSD?
There is plenty of hope for healing after trauma. Trauma treatment can be divided into three levels. The first focuses on emotion regulation and symptom management. The second level is trauma-focused and involves reprocessing the trauma. The third level centers around...
Here’s how you can help your loved one with PTSD
It’s important we understand and raise awareness for harmful mental illnesses like PTSD. Though the disorder can vary from person-to-person, common symptoms include nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety, and hypervigilance. Letting our loved ones with PTSD know we are there...
What are the four phases of PTSD?
PTSD can be divided into four phases: the impact phase, the rescue phase, the intermediate recovery phase, and the long-term reconstruction phase. The impact phase encompasses initial reactions such as shock, fear, and guilt. In the rescue phase, the affected...
5 Common Misconceptions About the Course and Development of PTSD
As with many conversations surrounding mental health, there are a few common misconceptions when it comes to understanding the course and development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a mental illness that many suffer with after experiencing a...
The Everyday Abuses That Lead to PTSD in Our Society
When one hears the term “posttraumatic stress disorder,” an image of a wounded veteran often comes to mind. While this can be an accurate depiction, it’s important to recognize this as one of many faces of PTSD. In fact, a lot of us can find another by merely looking...
How Does PTSD Change and Develop Over Time?
Those who develop posttraumatic stress disorder as a result of experiencing trauma often suffer from nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety, hypervigilance, and/or depressed mood. They may also go through periods of heightened irritability, hostility, and self-destructive...
What Does PTSD Feel Like?
Do you know what it’s like to live in a constant state of fear? To become significantly startled by a gentle knock on the door or the bark of your neighbor’s dog? To worry about what might happen to you if you leave the house? To expect injury or even death every...
How to Handle Criticism as a Survivor of Trauma
Whether constructive or otherwise received from a spouse, boss, family member or friend, criticism for some of us can provoke defensiveness, justifying, rationalizing, minimizing, and sometimes self-defeating hostility. I've personally seen these responses to...
Can Hallucinations Occur as a Symptom of PTSD?
Q&A Q: Can hallucinations occur as a symptom of PTSD? A: Yes, hallucination can occur as a symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)! For example, one documented case of such a situation was with a a client who had olfactory hallucinations; she would smell the...
Suicide Risk in Persons with PTSD: Warning Signs
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an unexpected response to a significant trauma. While the effects of PTSD can be disabling for those with the disorder, suicide is still an uncommon result of PTSD. There are several risk factors for...
DSM 5: PTSD is Not an Expected Response to Trauma
PTSD is not an expected response to trauma, according to the DSM 5, but a rare and an unexpected response to trauma. Accordingly, most people who experience trauma do not go on to experience PTSD. Why do some experience it, whole others don’t?...
DSM 5: One Can Develop PTSD without Experiencing Trauma
According to the DSM 5, one no longer needs to experience a trauma, but only to have learned about a trauma, to develop PTSD. Field researchers have found that some children, who came from good and trauma free homes, have demonstrated symptoms of PTSD. This occurs in...