Substance abuse problems can occur alongside various other serious mental health issues. Frequently, the issue in question is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This condition may precede drug or alcohol addiction. It may also follow in addiction’s wake. Whichever scenario applies to you, one thing is clear. To return to daily stability, you need PTSD treatment and addiction rehab. However, signs and symptoms that can tip you off to the presence of PTSD fall into several different categories. Call 866.545.9552 to speak with someone from the caring and compassionate team at Promont Wellness about PTSD, addiction, and how we can help you recover from both in Pennsylvania.
Distinguishing Signs From Symptoms
When used to describe the effects of an illness, the terms sign and symptom may be treated as synonyms. In fact, experts are just as likely to use them in this way as the general public. However, technically, a sign is not the equivalent of a symptom. Why not? Anyone can recognize the signs of an illness, which are outward and visible. However, unless you reveal the symptoms of a physical or mental health condition, only you know they’re affecting you.
Signs of PTSD: The Four Categories of Potential Effects
What are the potential signs of PTSD? All people diagnosed with this disorder experience effects that belong to four separate categories. These categories are:
- Intensified emotional reactions
- Dysfunctional changes in your typical mood and thought patterns
- The intrusion of unwanted PTSD-related thoughts into your everyday reality
- A compelling urge to avoid those thoughts
One common sign of intensified emotional reactions is jumpiness or jitteriness. You may also behave recklessly, display intense, inappropriate anger or struggle to concentrate. In addition, you may find it difficult to sleep. Dysfunctional moods and thoughts can lead you to openly blame yourself or others for the circumstances that led to your PTSD. They may also cause you to lose interest in things you once enjoyed doing.
Intrusive, PTSD-related thoughts can take the form of nightmares. They can also trigger vivid flashbacks to the event that first traumatized you. People close to you may notice that these things are occurring.
Signs of PTSD related to avoidance can take several forms. For example, you may refuse to talk about what happened to you. You may also refuse to discuss your experiences’ effects on you. In addition, you may steer clear of any person, situation, etc., that could remind you of what happened.
Common PTSD Symptoms
Potential PTSD symptoms also fall into the four categories that define the illness. However, they may not be as equally divided between these categories. That’s true, in large part, because intensified emotional reactions can be hard to disguise or hide from others. Nonetheless, you may experience these reactions without someone else noticing them.
Mood- and thought-related symptoms of PTSD may overlap with PTSD signs in that category. The difference is that, instead of expressing your feelings to others, you keep them to yourself. Common examples of these harmful feelings include recurring:
- Guilt
- Fear
- Shame
- Horror
- Anger
You may also disguise or hide symptoms of PTSD related to intrusive thoughts. In addition, you may have avoidance-related symptoms that escape other people’s attention.
Find a PTSD Treatment Center in Pennsylvania at Promont Wellness
Want to know more about the possible symptoms and signs of PTSD? Contact the trusted professionals at Promont Wellness. We’ll provide you with further details on spotting the effects of PTSD in others. We can also help you become aware of your potential PTSD symptoms.
Need a PTSD treatment center in Pennsylvania? Promont Wellness is standing by to assist you. We feature a customized trauma recovery program. When appropriate, we can add this program to your treatment for drug or alcohol addiction. To get started, contact Promont Wellness today at 866.545.9552 or write to us via our online form.
