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We live in a society in which we are taught from an early age that we must be self-reliant, possess inner strength, and be able to overcome any adversity. Unfortunately, life rarely cooperates with these intentions. As women, especially, we are expected to be the "pillars of strength" for our families - indeed, in all aspects of our lives. But, what if something terrible or traumatic happens to us or someone we love, and we're not able to "put it back together"? How do we cope? What if we can't forget the pain and simply "move on"? .JPG)
Many women suffer a traumatic experience in their lives - the death of a loved one, serious illness, and/or divorce. We may become sad or frightened, but the grief usually passes, the pain lessens with time, and life eventually returns to normal. Some however, experience life-threatening or life-changing situations that are so distressing, so devastating, that the memory does not fade over time. These experiences cause biological changes in brain chemistry; research has shown that there are alterations in brainwave activity that affect both the processing of memory and the body's fear response, resulting in a state of psychophysiological hyper-arousal of the sympathetic nervous system. This is the beginning of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
The symptoms vary from one person to the next; however, the following are the most common symptoms:
1. Dramatic mood swings, anxiety, irritability, and/or depression.
2. Repeated and vivid memories of the event, known as flashbacks, which occur out of nowhere and cause a rapid heartbeat, sweating, profuse anxiety, and a feeling of panic.
3. Difficulty in concentration, mental confusion, insomnia, and/or eating disorders
4. Psychosomatic symptoms, such as high blood pressure, diffuse pain, and/or nausea; pre-existing medical conditions may worsen.
What causes PTSD? With women, the major causes are sexual molestation, rape, physical attack, being threatened with a weapon, and childhood physical abuse. However, there is also a strong correlation between being a battered women and developing PTSD. In fact, the most common diagnosis by mental health professionals for battered women is posttraumatic stress disorder .
I had been having a series of disturbing dreams lately about people and places from my past. One morning when I got out of bed, the first thought I had about my latest dream was that my unconscious mind was trying to tell me that I am trying to re-create my past. Now why would I want to do that if my past is so traumatic? This answer then hit me - PTSD does exactly that. It keeps us in a state of re-creating the past trauma. In order to overcome the trauma, then, we must move past it, we must break the code, so to speak. This takes courage, commitment on our part, and a willingness to reach out for help from a mental health professional who specializes in working with trauma victims. | Please click on the above link to watch a Power Point presentation about abuse. |  I love sunflowers! They stand strong and tall, with their face to the sun, and their beauty is amazing. I like to think that I'm like that sunflower - strong, beautiful, no longer afraid. |
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