If you’re living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), you might feel like you’re constantly bracing for the worst. You may do your best to forget the situations that cause your PTSD, but certain sounds, scents, or places trigger panic or bring back memories that feel as fresh as the day they occurred. If you’re supporting a loved one, you may have noticed they’re alarmingly distant, struggling to get restful sleep, or reacting strongly to everyday situations.
PTSD usually develops after a traumatic experience that’s too overwhelming to properly cope with. You may feel constantly afraid, as if your body’s natural “fight-or-flight” system is working overtime in the background. But when symptoms don’t fade with time and begin interrupting daily life, it might be time to seek help.
At Miramont Behavioral Hospital, we provide compassionate care for people facing PTSD, as well as co-occurring concerns like depression or substance use disorder (SUD). If you feel stuck or overwhelmed, know that healing is possible, and support is here.
What Are PTSD Symptoms?
PTSD can affect anyone—you, your child, or your partner. Your age, race, sex, gender, and religion don’t disqualify you from developing the disorder. PTSD symptoms can range in severity, but they can be debilitating. Sometimes, people even turn to substances or shut down emotionally to cope with these symptoms.
If certain symptoms last a month or longer, a doctor or mental health professional can help determine if you’re dealing with PTSD.
Symptoms usually fall into four main categories:
Re-Experiencing Symptoms
Re-experiencing symptoms tend to make you feel like you’re reliving the painful event, whether emotionally, physically, or both.
- You may have intense, realistic flashbacks or nightmares.
- You might have intermittent or constant distress from thoughts, images, or sounds.
- You might feel your heart race or start sweating when reminded of a traumatic event.
Avoidance Symptoms
Avoidance symptoms can result when you actively avoid reminders or memories of the event.
- You might withdraw, avoiding places, objects, or gatherings that serve as reminders.
- You might refrain from thinking or talking about the trauma at all.
- You could stop routines you had before the event, such as driving or working.
Arousal and Reactivity Symptoms
Arousing and reactive symptoms put your body in a fight-or-flight mode.
- You may feel jumpy, annoyed, or constantly on edge.
- You may be unable to sleep, maintain focus, or self-soothe.
- You could feel compelled to make risky, destructive decisions to shut out your feelings.
Cognition and Mood Symptoms
These symptoms can affect how you think and feel.
- You might struggle with continuous negative feelings like guilt or shame.
- You could find it challenging to feel happy or close to others.
- You may find yourself uninterested in passions and hobbies you loved in the past.
What Causes PTSD?
There’s no one cause for PTSD. Trauma looks different for everyone, and you might carry pain from a single experience or multiple.
- You may have grown up in a home with emotional distance or instability.
- You might have witnessed something deeply traumatic as a child or teen, like the death of a peer.
- You may have suffered abuse or watched someone else be abused.
- You could have suffered loss, experienced political violence, general violence, or been a civilian in wartime.
- You don’t need to be in combat to develop PTSD, but if you served in the military, you may have seen, done, or experienced things no one should.
Trauma can come from an accident, a difficult birth, or something else entirely. If it felt terrifying or deeply upsetting to you, that counts. And it’s okay to need help to move on.
How Miramont Can Help You Cope With PTSD in Wisconsin
You don’t have to carry this alone. At Miramont Behavioral Hospital, our programs in Middleton and Waukesha, WI, can help treat PTSD and the struggles that often come with it, including:
- Suicidal thoughts. If you’ve felt like giving up, we’re here to help you find the reasons to keep going. You deserve support and safety.
- Substance use disorder (SUD). If you’ve used alcohol or drugs to cope with trauma, you’re not alone, and we can help you heal both at once.
- Other co-occurring disorders. You may be dealing with other anxiety disorders or phobias that we can help treat.
You may not have chosen what happened to you, but you can choose to get help. At Miramont, you’ll find people who understand trauma-informed treatment and who will walk with you through recovery every step of the way. Contact us today to get started.
