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Gift From Within - PTSD Questions & Answers with Frank Ochberg, M.D.

PTSD: Definition of PTSD How Common, Who Gets PTSD? Is PTSD a normal event? Does PTSD Affect The Brain? Duration Pregnancy Delayed Onset PTSD PTSD Tip Sheet for your Doctor Medications for PTSD Distinguishing PTSD from BPD Generalized Anxiety Disorder Can the Wounds of PTSD Heal? Complex/Chronic PTSD: CPTSD Explanation Long Term Prognosis & Complex PTSD PTSD vs. CPTSD Managing Past Intense Feelings Overcoming Complex PTSD PTSD Symptoms: Anger and Brain Injury Anger Flashbacks Loneliness Feelings Of Loss And Sense Of Self Anxiety Numbing Re-Traumatization Differences bet. Depression, Dysthemia, Major Depression Depression vs. Sadness and Grief Biological Depression Memory Loss Triggers and Body Sensations PTSD & Facial Tics Emotional & Physical Reactions Delayed Stress Response after Experiencing a Shock Can A False Memory Happen? Differences Between Hypervigilance and Hyperarousal Negativity & Pessismism after Trauma PTSD/PTSI Insomnia: Not Being Able To Sleep PTSD/PTSI & Psychosis Relationships: Peer Support Issues Explaining PTSD To Children False Memory Toxic Family Of Origin Protection From Unwanted Contact Preventing Intergenerational PTSD Numbing in Male Survivors of Domestic Violence How To Increase Social Support Caregivers/Partners with PTSD: Starting a Conversation about PTSD Both Partners with PTSD & its Complications Fiancé Doesn't Believe in Therapy Managing PTSD After Partner Pushes Too Hard Childhood Abuse: Emotional Abuse Childhood Trauma & Intrusive Images Revisiting The Scene Of Trauma And Abuse Gaslighting Stockholm Syndrome & Child Abuse Survivors Can a Child be Born Depressed Childhood Survivors and Being a Parent Work Issues: Disability Letter for Attorney-Sample Low Stress Jobs Doctor's letter for Employer Sample Dealing with Co-Workers Job Searching with PTSD Recovery: Frank Ochberg's Color Wheel of Positive Emotion Triggers Rebuilding Self Esteem Life After Trauma Coping During The Holidays Substance Abuse Improving A Damaged Self-Concept Explaining PTSD is a Responsibility Grief & Loss from a Tragic Death The Trauma Bond & Forgiveness Sudden Panic, Anxiety & Flashbacks Stockholm Syndrome, Trauma Bond and Undue Influence Therapy: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Inadequate Therapy When to End Therapy Repeating Your Trauma Story PTSD Symptoms After The Therapy Hour Exposure Therapy Service/Therapy Dogs & PTSD ECT (Electro-Convulsive-Therapy) Bipolar & ECT Therapy: An Interview Telling Trauma Story to Therapist PTSD Client Expectations from Therapy Sessions Veterans & PTSD: PTSD A Disease Seasonal PTSD & Anniversary Reaction. Emotional Injury Therapy Sessions Active Listening for Moms and Friends Military Sexual Assault Professionals: Compassion Fatigue Consequences Of Emotional Numbing School Teachers And PTSD Using The Counting Method with Clients Helping Clients with PTSD Other Conditions: Borderline Personality Disorder Social Phobia Dissociation Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Cutting & Self Harm Link between PTSD, BPD and Bi-Polar Somatization Disorder or Briquet's Syndrome Stockholm Syndrome & Child Abuse Survivors Dealing with Psychopaths & Narcissists

PTSD Questions & Answers with Joyce Boaz & Dr. Frank Ochberg, M.D. Read "Survivor Psalm" by Frank Ochberg

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Symptoms: Emotional & Physical Reactions Q: Dear Frank, We know that Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is an invisible injury. People can't see it like a broken leg so those affected are sometimes subjected to stigma which creates even more heartbreak. But what are the physical symptoms of PTSD? And what would be the difference in those with Chronic PTSD? A: Dear Joyce, Physical and emotional symptoms are closely linked and overlap. The exaggerated startle response of PTSD is certainly physical: the combat veteran takes cover when a car backfires; an incest survivor recoils and retches in the presence of a man who looks like her predator; a victim of hurricane Sandy cries and trembles when the wind howls a year later. We are taught to document psychological and physiological effects that are triggered by trauma reminders. The psychological effects include terror, disgust, confusion, despair, shame, guilt -- or an eerie absence of emotion, feeling hollow and dead inside. A close observer, skilled in reading feelings, can see signs in facial expression and body language. There are physical signs of these psychological, internal, private sensations. But the physiological symptoms are a different category. They include a racing pulse, a pounding heart, rapid and audible breathing, sweating -often a cold sweat, trembling and turning white or red. "He looked like he saw a ghost." "She blushed scarlet." There are more extreme physical symptoms. A person can faint. They can scream and flee. They can run amok, harming others or bringing grave harm to themselves. This is very rare, but when it does occur, it generates attention and causes the mistaken conclusion that PTSD typically makes people dangerously crazy. That is a malicious myth, based on ignorance and rumor. PTSD can precipitate or exacerbate medical syndromes. Usually these chronic diseases exist already, or are in the genetic code of the individual, waiting for a stressor to bring on an episode. Examples include irritable bowel, colitis and Crohn's disease -- the intestinal ailments; they include angina, arrhythmia and other heart conditions; they include psoriasis and other skin eruptions. Stress does affect the immune system. So a host of infections and auto-immune problems can follow. Chronic PTSD means that symptoms have lasted at least three months. But many live with lifelong symptoms and learn to tolerate the burden, to anticipate anniversaries, to adjust expectations. Living with PTSD for a long time may actually diminish the physical effects, as the body accommodates to a new normal. In general, PTSD improves with time. But we cannot ignore the fact that PTSD is a physical injury affecting several organs and systems of the body. It is as though the alarm reaction that helps us survive deadly threats is stuck in the "on" position. We do need to learn how to mitigate and manage that injury. Tweet Was this helpful to you? If so, please consider supporting our work.

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