How PTSD Can Alter Your Brain Forever

After the first and second world wars, PTSD had a negative connotation. But not only is it a real mental illness, you don't have to be a soldier in a warzone to suffer from it.

Read More:

Traumatic Stress: Effects on the Brain
“To understand how traumatic stress occurring at different stages of the life cycle interacts with the developing brain, it is useful to review normal brain development. The normal human brain undergoes changes in structure and function across the lifespan from early childhood to late life.”

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder What Happens in the Brain?
"Women are twice as likely as men to develop PTSD."
"PTSD has expanded from its original wartime definition to include all people, not just soldiers. It can result from a single or prolonged life-threatening event."

What Is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?
"In one out of 10 Americans, the traumatic event causes a cascade of psychological and biological changes known as post-traumatic stress disorder. "
"Post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD, is among only a few mental illnesses that are triggered by a disturbing outside event, unlike other psychiatric disorders such as clinical depression."

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[chrisms]

As a child my mother nearly choked me to death and my father cut my grandmothers face up with a kitchen knife. I was emotionally dead for years between fits of anger and violence (PTSD). Strangely though my foster parents mental abuse hurt me more than my childhood physical abuse and trauma. Years later I was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and have since recovered via Zen Buddhism. When I see addicts and crazy people, I imagine they've been through the same or worse.

[tetsubo]

I'm in treatment for PTSD. Related to childhood abuse and sexual abuse. Half of all children that suffer abuse end up with PTSD. It's been one hell of a process but it can get better. I was plagued by hyper-vigilance for decades. Now my anxiety and depression are far more manageable. Interestingly my therapist never mentioned PTSD initially, just the anxiety and depression. Eventually I arrived at the point where I asked if I could be suffering from PTSD. He shows me the intact for he wrote during our first session, PTSD is at the top. I felt a sense of accomplishment arriving at the same conclusion as my therapist.

[fotonomad]

Having dealt with PTSD for over 20 years following a light plane crash, I can completely identify with many of the symptoms. Thanks for this informative video.

[michaelcallaway]

I have PTSD from a major car accident in 2015. I’ve had to quit jobs over and over because I live in a constant state of nervousness and anxiety, every single day. It’s been three years and I’m still like this. Staying calm is impossible. It’s horrible to live with this.

[YodaMan-]

ive been diagnosed with ptsd. i was never a soldier. i have suffered various stressful/abusive/betrayal events at several points in my life.

i do all the usual things associated with it. isolation. nightmares..etc. ive woken up punching the wall next to my bed many times. woken up screaming. anger outbursts (though i know exactly why those happen).

i do feel wary of admitting i have ptsd publicly because not many realize it has nothing to do with being a soldier. you can get accused of lying because of it too.

[abelperez]

If your out there right now somewhere and your suffering from ptsd and you dont know what to do anymore just know i love you and im thankful for the sacrifices youve made for me and my people your suffering shal not be in vein and keep your faith in god for through him all things are possible

[CHRISTIANNWO]

I have PTSD. Been emotionally numb for so many years, I don't remember how it feels to be just feel happy, jolly, or even very sad.

My best tip is to not fight your disorder, but to accept it (don't feel guilty or blame yourself), and then built on it or learn to live with it, and always find ways to keep getting stronger.

Don't rush, take baby steps.

[codacreator]

If the trauma is repetitive or multiple, the PTSD becomes Complex PTSD and symptoms are more and deeper.

[OdinCal]

You don't have to be a soldier, no fucking duh.
But you _CANNOT_ get PTSD from using twitter.

[KristanceGlam]

PTSD is a very serious and life altering condition. I have had it for over three years and only now, after seeking treatment, are the symptoms fading (partly because I try to avoid situations that are surefire triggers). My PTSD stems from a year of trauma, the last straw was being trapped in my home as it was burning to the ground. I survived, but my brain seems to think that I need to be aware all the time now, just in case. If someone opens the door too fast I can have a physical reaction of fear, even if I am not consciously thinking "Yikes! That was scary!" If I'm at home and someone yells angrily, or if I hear a high pitched alarm or if I smell something burning. I'm like a bloodhound with the last part. I can tell you where the smell is coming from, what kind of materials are burning, and even a ballpark estimate on how big it is if it has become an actual fire. It's awful because I cannot control the intense physical primal fear that rushes through my body. On New Years Eve, I was in Buenos Aires where fireworks go off all over the city and are not regulated. Even though I knew the fireworks were going to happen, I still had a terrible breakdown that night. I can talk myself down from feeling consciously afraid, but my brain won't let me calm the flight or fight mode. You're helpless when that takes over. No one can control whether or not they get PTSD and you can not predict that it will happen to you. Judging what caused someone's PTSD is harmful and reinforces the stigma so many of us feel about our disorder.

[The_Viscount]

I appreciate your working to broaden understanding of this illness, however, as a trauma survivor, I do feel that more could be said about the causes of PTSD. It doesn't require being assaulted, or a car accident or war. It can be chronic abuse, neglect, or any potentially traumatic experience.

[ItsChurchieYall]

I am finally being treated for my PTSD, I have lived with sever trauma for almost 4 years now, the trauma stemming from multiple rape and sexual assault crimes. It has completely ruined my life as I know it. My family can barely handle when I'm triggered, I dont even know what I am doing but from what I'm told and what video I've seen it's not fun. I scream and scream and shake and can't breathe and will bash my head into walls or fall down if I was up and so on. In the "episode" I don't feel, see, or connect to the world around me. It is all in my head, in those times I am not mentally "around", I am back during the events reliving it all. I feel and see what was going on then, not now. It's hard for me to understand let alone my family. Getting help is the first step and it's the most important. We have a long way to go as understanding and acceptance goes, but remember
you are not alone

[Eyeslayer]

If people find it difficult to understand ptsd then they are not worth being called friends and family.

[meganrea]

Thank you so much for this video. I have PTSD from sexual assaults as well as abuse from childhood and I didn't even start my healing process until I was 18.

[Wigglebury]

I have ptsd from childhood abuse and it has ruined my life

[becomingme]

I suffer with PTSD because I overdosed on 17 DAYS worth of meds. I was in a coma for 12 days. I had to learn to walk again. I was in the ICU for so long it left its mark. 1 third of all ICU patients have PTSD.

[klattalexis]

You forgot the "freeze response". It's very real. No military or war experiences only "home terrorism".

[LivingDead]

I have a history of PTSD.  The longer I am out of the army, the more it fades.  I wasn't in combat, but I had some similar stresses that make it fly up,  like my relative calling me and my command.  Glad they stopped that after I got out.  I love this person, but we have to keep a distance.  This person will try to destroy me, and it's impacted my view of men.  I'm getting over that.   Also, one of the nurses said she thought I had PTSD from my hallucinations, which used to be rather bad.  The meds help schizophrenia.  Thank you, VA.

[RealmOfUnknown]

My uncle suffered this after w car accident, he was basically paranoid for a while

[andrewd]

Oddly enough PSTD can be traced back even further than just the physiological mechanisms, but can even be caused by imprints in our DNA. DNA methylation marks prevent particular genes from being expressed and will therefore influence particular bodily behaviors. D-news should do the next episode on the epigenome and the effects of nurture on nature =)