Disorders Associated with Trauma

It’s important to remember that trauma and its effects are unlikely to pass without intervention, and therefore it’s a good idea to know what signs to look for so that you can get the help you need before the situation gets out of control. There are few disorders related to or associated with trauma, and these include PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), adjustment disorders, acute stress disorder, reactive attachment disorder, and disinhibited social engagement disorder.

Out of these, PTSD is one of the most common ways in which trauma manifests in an individual. It speaks to the feeling of being unable to move on with life after a traumatic experience – endlessly stuck in the present moment of that most intense terror. Post-traumatic stress disorder can occur when something distressing happens to you, or even witnessing something horrific happen to someone else.

Key symptoms of PTSD include constant, unrelenting, and pervasive feelings of anger, fear, and guilt. These emotions often overwhelm an individual and disables them from living a fulfilling life. They tend to relive the traumatic event over and over in vivid flashbacks or upsetting nightmares and without trauma help, are prone to depression and anxiety as a result.

Substance abuse is also common among those suffering from PTSD, who turn to drugs and alcohol as a means of numbing them to the intense feelings associated with the trauma. Someone with PTSD usually has trouble sleeping, lacks concentration, suffers from panic attacks, and has self-destructive thoughts as well.

Although the causes for trauma mentioned previously are rather broad, there are certain people who predisposed in a way. These include people who have suffered rape and sexual assault, domestic violence, life-threatening illnesses, abuse and other acts of violence, children who have experienced verbal, sexual, or physical abuse and neglect, and then also survivors of extreme events, like car accidents, natural disasters, plane crashes, war, etc.

It is believed that living through any of the aforementioned circumstances puts an individual at risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder, where they struggle to cope with the effects of the emotional and psychological consequences of their situation. Ignoring this struggle in the hope it will go away on its own is not advised.