There are many symptoms that can be identified as signals for PTSD including: nightmares, avoiding people and events, feeling distant or showing less interest in usual plans or even a jumpiness or irritation as well as anger and difficulty sleeping. Some patients will go as far as to refuse to follow up with doctors, appointments or follow up tests.
Some factors that increase the risk for PTSD include treatment time, pain, advance disease and other physical symptoms. Factors associated with PTSD include, less formal education, low income, female gender, little or no social support, negative perceptions and a family history of anxiety or depression and the like.
So if this has some sounds of what you are going through, there is help. Something that is not used as much now as in the past due to the availability of internet is support groups. Yes, talk it out can be very therapeutic but if you are stuck, it may mean that you need more professional help including the possible use of medications. Now that doesn't mean that you are stuck the rest of your life being medication dependent but it does mean that your car is low on oil and we need to prime the pump and that could mean some medication until we get you back on your feet. You may need an anti-depressant or even something for anxiety. Regardless of your level of need, if you feel any of these things crashing in on you or you feel stuck, please seek help. Sometimes, as the saying goes,"You can't see the forest for the trees." That means that you don't even realize you are struggling or how bad you were struggling until you are actually feeling better. There are those around you that love you and if they mention that you are not yourself on numerous occasions, stop and think... are you dealing with some lingering issues that is keeping you from enjoying our life? Make it a great day and if you need help to do that,