You Maybe Suffering From PTSD And Not Know

Before she lost the ability to sleep at night; before the flashbacks began; before she drove her car over a pothole, leaving her with a traumatic brain injury; home maker Sita Raman* loved driving her children to school. She was a regular mom but today PTSD or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, doesn¡¯t let her carry out the most mundane tasks, affecting her relationship with her children.

¡°After dropping my children off at school, my favorite song started to play on the radio. It¡¯s really stressful being a mom so I thought of rolling down the windows, turning up the music and driving. I was so into the moment. I didn¡¯t see the pothole and my car got stuck only to be run-over by a truck. After the truck hit, it was just darkness. I remember seeing the truck driving into my car, with PTSD, I have been reliving that accident everyday for two years now.¡± 31-year-old Sita Raman told India Times.

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PTSD is an anxiety disorder estimated to affect 1 in 10 people, according to a study published in the journal, Psychology Today. The American Psychological Association (APA), defines PTSD as ¡°a memory filing error caused by a trauma¡±, not every trauma translates into a PTSD but quite frequently, a trauma gives rise to PTSD that often goes undiagnosed.

¡°A patient may not be able to decipher the symptoms of PTSD. But PTSD can never go undetected by a doctor, it is best to seek proper treatment. To make people aware of PTSD in daily life, we always talk about the consistent symptoms of PTSD, so patients are aware,¡± says Dr.Srikant Sharma, Consultant, Psychiatry at Max Hospital, Saket, New Delhi.

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Symptoms of PTSD though are not limited to increased anxiety alone, one could experience sudden flashbacks, nightmares, and be these are often accompanied by feelings of guilt and shame.

When 25-year-old Arushi Malik* was brutally fired from her job, she didn't know this loss, had left her suffering from PTSD. ¡°One fine day, while I was eating lunch at work, my boss walked up to my table and asked me to leave. He literally said he did not feel like seeing me anymore so I should pack up my stuff. For the longest time I couldn¡¯t apply for jobs and showing up for interviews was something I just couldn¡¯t cope with. This left me broke and homeless because I wasn¡¯t earning at all. That¡¯s when I decided to seek help.¡± says Malik.

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Spotting this invisible disorder in time.

That¡¯s what makes PTSD tricky. Many people experience trauma during the course of their life but it translates to PTSD only for a few. But letting it go undetected means giving a part of yourself away to the disorder. And that¡¯s why it¡¯s recommended to look out for any thoughts that interfere with your every day functioning, it¡¯s worth speaking out or seeking help from a trained mental health professional. It¡¯s okay to go through trauma but it¡¯s not okay to let it rule your life.

Here are some possible symptoms you can look out for.

Behavioural symptoms: Agitation, irritability, hostility, hypervigilance, self-destructive behaviour, or social isolation.
Psychological symptoms: Flashback, fear, severe anxiety, or mistrust, inability to cope with everyday life.
Mood symptoms: Loss of interest or pleasure in activities, guilt, or loneliness.
Sleep symptom: Insomnia or nightmares that make you relive the trauma or remind you of it.

*Names changed on request.