What is PTSD?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder caused by very stressful, frightening or distressing events.
PTSD can develop immediately after someone experiences a disturbing event, or it may occur weeks, months or even years later. The sufferer may be the survivor of the event or a witness, someone who heard about it who then imagined the event, or they could be the perpetrator. This disorder can persist for many years if not treated.
PTSD occurs when the memories from such experiences are not processed properly by the brain and are therefore not stored safely in the memory and can consequently be triggered frequently and involuntarily, causing distress to the sufferer.
Sufferers are likely to feel intense distress triggered by reminders of the event, and they may develop avoidance behaviours, anxiety, depression, anger, irritability, aggression, and feelings of guilt. They may have difficulty concentrating and making decisions, and experience memory problems and emotional numbness. These symptoms can result in sufferers adopting unhealthy coping mechanisms such as such as misuse of drugs or alcohol and self-harming. Some people suffer from COMPLEX PTSD and details of this are below.
The symptoms can be severe and persistent enough to have a significant impact on the person's day-to-day life, making social interaction difficult and causing problems in the workplace. It can affect personal relationships and family life.
PTSD is thought to affect about 1 in every 3 people who have had a traumatic experience, but it is not known why some people develop the condition and others do not.
Typical symptoms of PTSD
nightmares
insomnia
flashbacks
involuntary intrusive thoughts or images
panic attacks
breathing problems
dizziness
trembling
sweating
tightness in the chest
PTSD can be caused by
serious accidents
serious illness and the treatment involved
child abuse or severe neglect
sexual or other assault
domestic violence
military combat
bullying
childbirth
bereavement
burglary
seeing disturbing images
natural disasters
terrorist attacks
refugeeism
being held hostage
witnessing a violent death
How Can I Help?
I use a simple and quick method to treat this disorder, and it is The Rewind Trauma Therapy by Dr David Muss.
This technique can usually solve PTSD linked to a particular event in one session, sometimes two, no matter how long it has been a problem.
It will also help those with Complex PTSD, although it may take a little longer.
Rewind Trauma Therapy
This is a simple stand – alone technique specifically designed for PTSD. It does not involve hypnosis and is not part of Hypnotherapy. It is widely recognised as a highly successful way to end the distress of sufferers by enabling the brain to process the traumatic memories and thus relieve the sufferer of the involuntary, intrusive recall.
Advantages of Rewind Trauma Therapy
With this technique, traumatic memories are not removed, they are stored as are other memories, and can be retrieved if the sufferer chooses to think about them. This gives them control over the memories, and leaves them free to continue normally with everyday life without the emotional problems and distress previously experienced.
Unlike other therapies. this technique does not involve the sufferer talking about the experience they have had, in fact I do not need to know it if they do not wish to tell me. This means that the person can avoid unnecessary extra trauma, and can also avoid revealing issues of confidentiality, especially if this is important for their work in areas such as the emergency services.
I find this to be a remarkable technique, and highly successful. Studies have shown it be successful in 90% of cases.
This Rewind technique can also be used to help with Phobias, and also with the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
Complex PTSD
This may be diagnosed in adults or children who have repeatedly experienced traumatic events, such as violence, neglect or abuse.
Complex PTSD is thought to be more severe if:
the traumatic events happened early in life
- the trauma was caused by a parent or carer
- the person experienced the trauma for a long time
- the person was alone during the trauma
- there's still contact with the person responsible for the trauma
As it may take years for the symptoms of complex PTSD to be recognised, a child's development can be affected and it can result in changes in their behaviour and self-confidence as they get older. Adults with complex PTSD may lose their trust in people and feel separated from others. The symptoms of complex PTSD are similar to the symptoms of PTSD but may include:
- feelings of shame or guilt
- difficulty controlling emotions
- periods of losing attention and concentration (dissociation)
- physical symptoms, such as headaches, dizziness, chest pains and stomach aches
- cutting yourself off from friends and family
- relationship difficulties
- destructive or risky behaviour, such as self harm, alcohol abuse or drug abuse
- suicidal thoughts
I have been trained in this therapy by Dr David Muss who developed this technique and who founded the The International Association for Rewind Trauma Therapy (IARTT). I am a member of this association and I am on the register of therapists qualified to treat clients with this therapy.