Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
I have worked with many men and women that were abused as children: physically, emotionally, sexually, and/or verbally. Some individuals have experienced Abuse or Trauma as adults. Spousal Abuse, Rape, and Victimization from a crime are only a few causes of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Even severe weather experiences can create Trauma Reactions ( hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, etc).
Some of you remember all of the details leading up to the event, but have forgotten the specific incident.Your subconscious mind may be giving you brutal reminders through nightmares and flashbacks (experiencing a moment where your body is remembering the event, but you can only envision pieces). Others may remember every single moment. Every day they are tortured by the feelings, the pictures in their head, and the physical sensations of fear, panic, and the inability to get away.
Some of you may have no specific memories of anything traumatic, but you have either no memories of childhood prior to a specific age or spotty memories with a major time block missing.
Symptoms of PTSD
- Feeling Detached
- Depression or Feeling Blue
- Experiencing Flashbacks of the Trauma
- Irritability
- Inability to recall all of your childhood (in the case of childhood sexual abuse)
- Sexual or Libido Issues (increased sexual desire/promiscuity or decreased libido)
- Fear or Discomfort about being touched physically (a hug, handshake, or even being brushed up against)
- Problems Concentrating
- Nightmares
PTSD IS A NORMAL REACTION TO AN EXTREME TRAUMA
Since everyone is unique, everyone’s experience and reaction to trauma is different. Some of you have learned to dissociate – emotionally “checking out” when the abuse occurred. When you think back on the incident your point of view is from a safe distance, perhaps from the corner of a room looking down, or from a place physically above the event.
I have worked with many individuals with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for the majority of my career. Some individuals, depending on the severity and length of the abuse, are only occasionally distressed by these memories. Others find that when they start to remember, the flashbacks and nightmares can be overwhelming. Through therapy we can work through the pain of what happened and help you to get rid of the nightmares and flashbacks of the event or events and have a more normal and comfortable life and relationship with your partners. By addressing the problems through therapy, hypnosis, and art therapy we can stop the cycle of abuse that is being replaying in your mind.
PTSD ISN’T ABOUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU,
IT’S ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU
