®
Newsletter
August 2012 | Written by the work/life experts at eni
Identifying and Navigating PTSD
PTSD stands for post-traumatic stress
disorder. As the name indicates, this
condition can occur after a traumatic
event or experience. PTSD is most
commonly discussed in relation to
soldiers who have experienced war.
However, a person can develop PTSD
after any event that is exceptionally
disturbing or upsetting. In addition to
combat, PTSD triggers can include abuse,
rape, experiencing a natural disaster
or terrorist attack, witnessing criminal
activity or any type of life threatening
event.
Not everyone who experiences a
traumatic event will develop PTSD.
People can have wildly different
reactions to the same experience. For
example, many people involved in
the 9/11 terrorist attacks may have
developed PTSD while many other did
not. How people deal with traumatic
events is deeply personal and based
upon many factors. For example,
someone who is robbed at gunpoint
may not develop PTSD, while someone
who witnessed a mugging from afar may
experience PTSD. As outside observers
of the aforementioned scenarios we
are tempted to question the reactions
of the individuals as it seems that an
armed robbery is way more traumatic.
However, we must remember that any
traumatic incident can result in PTSD
and it is currently not known why some
people develop PTSD while others do
not.
Recognizing PTSD
Directly following a trauma it is very
common to have increased anxiety,
troubling memories of the event, and
trouble sleeping. This is completely
normal and does not constitute PTSD. If
these feelings do not go away or become
worse and your anxiety becomes
debilitating you may be experiencing
PTSD. Common symptoms of PTSD
include:
For more information or
support on PTSD, contact
the work/life experts at
BalanceWorks®
by calling:
1.800.327.2255
eni’s BalanceWorks®
program is a confidential
24/7 service provided by
your employer to help
achieve work/life
balance.
• Frequently re-living the event through
flashbacks, vivid upsetting memories,
or nightmares
• Experiencing bad reactions to
situations that remind you of the
trauma
• Avoiding anything that reminds you of
the trauma
• Feeling numb or detached
• Experiencing extreme forgetfulness
and/or difficulty concentrating
• Losing interest in day to day activities
• Feeling very uneasy or jumpy on a
regular basis
• Feeling irritable or angry for no reason
• Having trouble sleeping
© eni All Rights Reserved.
®
Newsletter
August 2012 | Written by the work/life experts at eni
PTSD can also trigger physical symptoms including:
•
•
•
•
Dizziness
Fainting
Headaches
Fast or unusually strong heartbeat
Diagnosis & Treatment
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms above
and they last longer than 30 days after a trauma,
you may want to consider making an appointment
with a (mental) healthcare provider. However
if you are feeling completely overwhelmed or if
you have thoughts of hurting yourself or others,
seek medical attention right away. Although there
are no medical tests that can be performed to
diagnose PTSD, your doctor will be able to make a
diagnosis based upon speaking to you about your
symptoms.
As we mentioned earlier, everyone responds
to traumatic events differently so treatment is
tailored to each individual. One common form of
treatment for PTSD is called desensitization. This
therapy helps reduce symptoms by encouraging
victims to remember the traumatic event and
express their feelings about it, hopefully resulting
in less frequent and frightening memories of the
experience. Support groups where people who
have been through similar experiences share their
feelings about the trauma has also shown to be
effective in reducing PTSD symptoms. Finally,
strong social support from friends and family is
very important after experiencing a trauma.
Supporting a Loved One with PTSD
If a loved one has experienced a trauma it is
important to arm yourself with information about
PTSD. This will enable you to pick up on symptoms
and give you tactics to help support them through
this trying time.
If your loved one does develop PTSD it can
significantly change the dynamic of your
relationship as they may anger more easily or
become very withdrawn. Make sure that your
loved one knows that you are there if they want
to talk and are willing to give them space if that is
what they need. Plan activities that you enjoyed
doing together prior to the trauma like going out
to dinner, shopping, watching movies etc. This is
a fun way to help get them back into the swing of
daily life, hopefully helping them to begin to move
past the incident. It is also a good idea to plan
activities that incorporate exercise such as hiking,
dancing, playing tennis, or swimming. Physical
activity releases endorphins, which will help to
boost their mood.
If an immediate family member or your partner
is suffering from PTSD it may be helpful to offer
to attend doctor’s appointments or support
groups with them. This will allow you to be a
second set of ears at doctor’s appointments to
help keep track of medications or therapy and
you can offer support at group therapy sessions.
Most importantly, if you are caring for someone
suffering from PTSD, you also need to take care of
yourself:
• Don’t feel guilty about not being able to “cure”
your loved ones PTSD symptoms. Understand
that by actively supporting them and listening to
them you are helping as much as you can.
• Take time for yourself to relax and participate in
activities that you enjoy.
• Be sure to exercise and eat plenty of fruits,
veggies, and lean meats to keep your energy
high. Helping someone through a traumatic
experience can be very draining and you will
need all of your strength.
• Celebrate small victories. Your loved one’s
PTSD will not get better overnight, so be sure to
recognize that small steps in the right direction
will eventually lead to recovery.
PTSD is a scary and serious condition, but with
time, support, and sometimes therapy, symptoms
will begin to wane and life will get back to normal.
For more information about
PTSD contact the
work/life experts at BalanceWorks® by calling
1.800.327.2255
eni’s BalanceWorks® program is a confidential
24/7 service provided by your employer to help
achieve work/life balance..
© eni All Rights Reserved.