Coping With Trauma & Post-Traumatic Stress

This resource page is for those who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event and are struggling with trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It discusses various treatment options, including therapy and medication, and emphasizes the importance of seeking help to start the healing and moving forward process.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a behavioral health crisis, get help now with crisis intervention.

person talking to therapist

What is Trauma & Post-Traumatic Stress?

A traumatic event is a shocking, scary, or dangerous experience that affects someone emotionally. These situations may be natural, like a tornado or earthquake. They can also be caused by other people, like a car accident, crime, or terror attack. Researchers are exploring the factors that help people cope as well as the factors that increase their risk for problems following the event.

grandfather with granddaughter on his shoulders

Trauma & Post-Traumatic Stress Warning Signs

There are many different responses to potentially traumatic events. Most people have intense responses immediately following, and often for several weeks or even months after, a traumatic event.

These responses can include:

  • Feeling anxious, sad, or angry
  • Trouble concentrating and sleeping
  • Continually thinking about what happened

For most people, these are normal and expected responses and generally lessen with time. Healthy ways of coping in this time period include avoiding alcohol and other drugs, spending time with loved ones and trusted friends who are supportive, trying to maintain normal routines for meals, exercise, and sleep. In general, staying active is a good way to cope with stressful feelings.

However, in some cases, the stressful thoughts and feelings after a trauma continue for a long time and interfere with everyday life. For people who continue to feel the effects of the trauma, it is important to seek professional help.

Some signs that an individual may need help include:

  • Worrying a lot or feeling very anxious, sad, or fearful
  • Crying often
  • Having trouble thinking clearly
  • Having frightening thoughts, reliving the experience
  • Feeling angry
  • Having nightmares or difficulty sleeping
  • Avoiding places or people that bring back disturbing memories and responses.

Physical responses to trauma may also mean that an individual needs help. Physical symptoms may include:

  • Headaches
  • Stomach pain and digestive issues
  • Feeling tired
  • Racing heart and sweating
  • Being very jumpy and easily startled

Those who already had mental health problems or who have had traumatic experiences in the past, who are faced with ongoing stress, or who lack support from friends and family may be more likely to develop stronger symptoms and need additional help. Some people turn to alcohol or other drugs to cope with their symptoms. Although substance use can temporarily cover up symptoms, it can also make life more difficult.

What to Discuss with Your Doctor

Choosing the right medication, medication dose, and treatment plan should be based on a person’s needs and medical situation, and done under an expert’s care. Only an expert clinician can help you decide whether the medication’s ability to help is worth the risk of a side effect. Your doctor may try several medicines before finding the right one.

You and your doctor should discuss:

  1. How well medications are working or might work to improve your symptoms
  2. Benefits and side effects of each medication
  3. Risk for serious side effects based on your medical history
  4. The likelihood of the medications requiring lifestyle changes
  5. Costs of each medication
  6. Other alternative therapies, medications, vitamins, and supplements you are taking and how these may affect your treatment
  7. How the medication should be stopped. Some drugs can’t be stopped abruptly but must be tapered off slowly under a doctor’s supervision.

Information about medications changes frequently. Please visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website for the latest information on warnings, patient medication guides, or newly approved medications.

Information courtesy of: National Institute of Mental Health : https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/index.shtml

Trauma & Post-Traumatic Stress Resources