PTSD Awareness Day
Sunday 27 June is PTSD Awareness Day and the purpose is to raise awareness about the condition and the impact trauma can have on people.
If more people know about PTSD, then more people with the condition can get the help they need.
Unfortunately, many people who live with PTSD don’t get treatment because they don’t recognise their symptoms as PTSD, or because of stigma.
Fortunately, there are treatments for PTSD that work: recovery and renewal is always possible. PTSD is the most common mental health disorder after depression.
Not everyone who experiences trauma will develop PTSD, but about 5-10% of Australians will suffer from PTSD at some point in their lives. That means that at any one time over 1 million Australians have PTSD.
The four main symptoms of PTSD.
- Re-living the traumatic event. For example, you might be troubled by distressing and unwanted memories of what happened, or have vivid nightmares or flashbacks
- Avoiding reminders of the traumatic event. For example, you might find yourself avoiding activities, places, people, thoughts or feelings that bring back memories of what happened
- Having negative thoughts and feelings. For example, you may experience fear, anger or guilt, or feel ‘flat’ or numb
- Feeling wound-up - you might have trouble sleeping, concentrating, or feel angry or irritable; you might find you are taking more risks, get easily startled, or feel as if you’re constantly on the lookout for danger.
It’s important to remember that people need help moving beyond harrowing events. Having PTSD is not a sign of weakness and no one should feel ashamed to seek help.
For more information visit Phoenix Australia’s PTSD page or watch the videos on their Recovery Online website.
