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PTSD is an anxiety disorder caused by traumatic events or situations. Common traumatic events include accidents, disasters, dysfunctional childhoods and verbal or physical abuse. Personal traumas such as losing your job and relationship breakdowns can also cause PTSD. Trauma can happen to adults or to children, and it may have been a one-off or repeated.

What are the symptoms of PTSD?  Traumas are shocking events, and it is normal to feel overwhelmed. Not everybody reacts in the same way though, and there is no right way to respond. We all naturally have coping abilities, and many people will start to feel better with the passage of time. Some people’s recovery is slower, and they may need help to overcome what happened.

Some of the most common PSTD symptoms are listed below. These reactions are often linked to one another – one may lead to another.

1 Re-experiencing  – Many people re-experience what happened to them. You might find yourself playing the event over in your mind, or experience memories of the event coming back unexpectedly. Such as:

• Flashbacks – unwanted memories where it can feel as though the trauma is happening again
• Nightmares – bad dreams or unwanted memories during the night
• Physical reactions – we may feel in our bodies what we felt at the time
• Trauma memories are often very vivid and can be re-experienced in any of our senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch)

2 Increased arousal (‘hyper-arousal’) – Fear and anxiety are natural (and helpful) responses to dangerous situations. These feelings often last for a long time after the trauma is over. You might find that reminders of the trauma trigger feelings of anxiety, or it might feel as though anxiety occurs out-of-the-blue. You might feel jumpy, jittery, or find it hard to concentrate. Your sleep may be affected leaving you exhausted and restlessness. Physically you might feel nauseous, fatigued, have headaches, or your appetite might be affected.

3 Avoidance – This is a normal human way of managing pain and upset. Many people find themselves avoiding people, places, or situations that remind them of what happened. You might find yourself trying to avoid having certain thoughts or feelings. Some people might find that they ‘zone out’ at certain times, which can be the mind’s way of avoiding strong feelings.

4 Changes in beliefs – Traumatic events can lead to big changes in how we view the world or ourselves. Some common changes in the way we think can include:

• Finding the world a more threatening place
• Blaming ourselves for what happened
• Finding it hard to trust other people – this is especially common if people have hurt us, and can impact our relationships
• Not seeing the point in life or struggling to find things meaningful
• Worrying about losing control or going crazy

5 Strong feelings and emotions – Trauma can expose us to many strong emotions. All of these are common:

• Anger and irritability – especially if you are stressed and not getting enough sleep
• Guilt and shame – people often blame themselves for things they did or didn’t do, or feel judged by others
• Grief and depression – you might be grieving for what you lost or feeling sadness about how your world has changed

How do I overcome PTSD?

There are two approaches to overcoming PTSD: Medication and Therapy. In the first instance, you should discuss your issue with your GP. They will be able to prescribe medication if appropriate and refer you for NHS therapy if available.

To help clients overcome PTSD I use hypnosis combined with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR):

• CBT is a talking therapy which focuses on how your thoughts, beliefs and attitudes affect your feelings and behaviour and teaches you coping skills for dealing with different problems.
• EMDR is a therapy technique which helps the brain to process distressing memories. This reduces their influence and allows people to develop ways to more effectively get on with their lives. 
• I combine these therapies with hypnosis to help clients deeply relax, enhance focus and mental imagery and embed positive mental changes.