Understanding Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder on PTSD Awareness Day

Mind

Jun 25

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition developed in some people who experience a scary, dangerous or shocking event (NIMH, 2021). To recognize PTSD Awareness Day, the LSU Sport Psych and Counseling team compiled facts relevant to the disorder and treatment of PTSD. If you or a loved one are struggling with PTSD, you can call 1-800-273-8255 for additional information and help.

Bruce Buggs

Interacting with someone with PTSD can be difficult but it is important to understand that they are just going through a tough time. Someone with PTSD feel extremely vulnerable, feel overly alert, angry, irritable, or untrusting. Have a supportive circle can help calm him/her down (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
According to trauma experts, face-to-face support works the best. This can come in the form of exercise, dancing, or lunch dates (National Institute on Mental Health).

Christine Sotile

There are six principles of trauma-informed care including: safety, trustworthiness and transparency, peer support, collaboration/mutuality, empowerment, voice and choice and cultural humility (SAMHSA, 2014).
Safety, in this model, should be defined or delineated by the person being served. Cultural humility means that a clinician should be responsive to cultural, ethnic, gender and racial needs of the person being served (SAMHSA, 2014).

Dr. LaKeitha Poole

Influence of Race-Based Stress & Trauma on Mental Health: The lifetime prevalence of PTSD was highest among Black Americans (8.7%), intermediate among Hispanics and Whites (7.0% and 7.4%) and lowest among Asians (4.0%) (NCBI – NIH, 2010).
Additionally, social stereotypes and biases experienced by marginalized individuals increases sensitization and often takes a greater emotional toll. As a result, an increased need for resilience and reliance on cultural values (faith, optimism, forgiveness) develops (Psychology Today, 2015).

Lauren Shute

There are a range of symptoms related to PTSD such as memory problems, self-destructive behavior, and constantly being on guard for danger. Also, it’s important to recognize that adults and children may demonstrate symptoms of PTSD in different ways. A lot of times, kids will re-enact a traumatic event through play (Mayo Clinic, 2021).
Typically those experiencing severe PTSD symptoms for more than a month should seek treatment from a doctor or other mental health professional (Mayo Clinic, 2021).

There are a number of helpful stategies that can be implemented to help cope with the symptoms that are often exhibited with PTSD. Prioritizing time for yourself so that you can focus on doing some of these activities is an importnat step in taking care of your own mental health and well-being.