10 things people are constantly wrong about PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder is much more common than many of us think. The data suggest a estimated at 70% American adults have experienced some type of traumatic event in their lifetime and up to 20% of them will develop PTSD.

However, it is not because it is widespread that it is inherently understood. For those who do not have the disease, it's hard to imagine what it looks like or why it can be so debilitating. This can lead to a lot of misconceptions about the disease.

HuffPost interviewed mental health treatment experts and patients to understand what people typically feel when living with post-traumatic stress disorder. Here's what everyone should keep in mind about this condition:

Many people associate PTSD with the legacy of soldiers at war. In reality, the state of mental health can stem from any painful event, including natural disasters, serious road accidents, terrorist attacks, sexual assaults and shootings. large scale, explained Vonnie Nealon, Clinical Director of Warriors Heart, a drug treatment and post-traumatic stress center in Bandera, Texas for veterans and first responders. PTSD can also occur after a serious or life-threatening health problem.

"Veterinarians can have a very important form of post-traumatic stress, but there are many types of trauma," said Lauren Doud, a resident of Cincinnati, Ohio, who has been living with post-traumatic stress disorder since 2013. Doud had preeclampsia syndrome and HELLP, two pregnant women related health conditions, and almost died. She also lost her son. She then developed the state of mental health after her experience.

"When I was diagnosed, I remember thinking that only veterans of the army had that. But my doctor said that this could be triggered by a traumatic experience and that only one of these experiences separately could cause PTSD, "said Doud, 34. "I had three traumatic events: an imminent death, an emergency delivery … and I lost my baby. When I heard that, I felt validated.

Many people with PTSD continue to manage their professional and personal lives while managing their condition. "I have a job, a family and an excellent support network," said Becky Beach, 37, who still lives with PTSD as a result of a violent relationship in 2001.

Beach stated that it still routinely deals with the effects of PTSD; to have a healthy and fulfilling life and to cope with the symptoms of the disease are not mutually exclusive. "I jump very easily if someone pronounces my name out loud or if I hear a loud noise. It gives me a panic attack and it can be difficult for me to calm down, "she explained.

But Beach has discovered adjustment mechanisms that help her continue her career as a mother and blogger at Mombeach.com. "I bought earmuffs while I was working. I sleep with a heavy blanket, which helps to reduce anxiety, and I do meditation every morning to relieve stress and anxiety, "she said.

Even if the traumatic experience was similar between two people, what one feels with PTSD will be different from another. Ben Johnson, a former paramedic in Carson City, Nevada, noted that the people he served with had a wide range of personal triggers, including getting away from the family, feeling exhausted and work in very hostile conditions.

"A lot of my training was" running to danger, "because that's where the injured patients would be. Often in the crowd, I find myself scrutinizing the crowd in search of a potential threat or intervention of any dangerous situation. It's exhausting to always look for danger, "said Johnson, 37.

He added that he may have misunderstood a child screaming with joy, fear or pain, or thinking that a door slamming on the door of a car is an explosion or a blow. fire. What is considered normal in some people can become a sensory overload for him.

And it's not just triggers: treatment plans are also very individualistic. "People think that there is a unique solution for everyone, but that's not the case," Johnson said.

This idea is a major misconception, said Mary Joye, counselor in Winter Haven, Florida. The majority of people with PTSD do not want to "attack you or anyone else – they do not want to cause self harm," said Joye.

Relatives of people with PTSD often feel the need to save the situation and protect people from potential triggers. Although this is done with the best intentions in the world, it is not always helpful for those living with the disease.

"If you avoid your triggers, you may only be able to exacerbate your problems. It's more important to let the author take nothing else from you, "said Alison Nichols, UK-based marketing manager with PTSD. "It is much more important to find a way to live with what has happened and enjoy everything you always have. "

Kendra Liedle, assistant TV assistant and coordinator in Los Angeles, said that many people falsely assume that because she looks happy, she has gone from her trauma.

The reality is that PTSD is not easy to solve and there is no timetable for recovery. Liedle, who developed PTSD after multiple brain surgeries, said she was still struggling with the after-effects – although it was not easy.

"In my particular case … people think I'm all healed because they can not see the physical scars of the surgery, which are covered by my hair. I'm back to what looks like my previous life. However, many of my residual problems are "invisible" and I include PTSD, "said 42-year-old Liedle.

"From the outside, I look completely healed," she added. "However, after any major event in life, affected people with PTSD – including myself – are provoked by the emotional and mental problems that the brain associates with the traumatic event and by the belief that life can no longer be the same as before the traumatic event. Event."

It is now common to use the expression "triggered" to mean offended or outraged to the point of losing control. But the triggers are much more complex than that, explained Gina Ibarra, a 49-year-old writer in Las Vegas.

"It's a process of the subconscious mind. When the original violent incident occurred, a primitive level of my brain did what it took to stay alive. It associates certain people, places and events with the possibility of an imminent death, "she said. "Now, when one of these things comes up, my brain pulls the sensations that it associates with the memory vault event and says," Hey, remember me? & # 39; It is meant to propel me into battle, fear or flight, so I stay alive I'm not in danger anymore, but my brain does it anyway I'm just wired this way now. "

People who have been traumatized can be triggered by stimuli that remind them of the event that motivates them, and it does not have to always be something major. For example, you do not need to hear gunshots to be brought back to the scene of a crime you witnessed.

"Not just the trauma itself, but everything that happened at the time that could consciously or unconsciously remind them of the event," he said. Michael Genovese, chief medical officer of Acadia Healthcare in Nashville.

He added that a trigger could be witness to something violent, but it could also be something more subtle, such as the color of the sweater than someone wore it, l? smell of food being cooked or the sound of a song broadcast on the radio.

"It can be a lot more debilitating than many imagine," he said.

The idea that PTSD occurs directly after the trauma that caused it is not always true.

"Friends, family and the general public do not know that it can happen long after the situation that a person will experience the symptoms – especially if she has compartmentalized her feelings or has hidden them," he said. said Mike Robinson, founder of the World Cannabinoid Research Center in Santa Barbara, California, and someone who lives with PTSD.

"If a person like me has PTSD caused by a wreck that has also caused physical injury, their symptoms are likely to be aggravated by the ongoing treatment of injuries or disability that may have been caused, whether physically or mentally ". Robinson, 53, said.

The PTSD is not a sign of emotional weakness. Anyone, regardless of their origin and personal characteristics, may develop PTSD in certain circumstances and during trauma.

"I tell my clients that, rather than weakness, PTSD is a very normal reaction to very abnormal events. In fact, survivors of trauma are often stronger and more emotionally resilient than many who have not experienced trauma, "said Kristin Anderson, a psychotherapist at NYC Therapy + Wellness Practice At New York.

She added that PTSD was not a moral or moral failure, and that seeking treatment was not a confession of defeat. "It shows that PTSD is a disease that is beyond the control of the individual and can be treated," said Anderson.

"Living with" is a guide for navigating conditions that affect your mind and body. Each month, HuffPost Life will tackle real problems by providing different stories, tips and ways to connect with others who understand what it is. In June, we cover trauma and PTSD. Do you have an experience to share? Email [email protected].