PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, is a set of symptoms that indicate that you have been traumatically impacted by an experience. Because your body is designed to protect itself, it may “remind” you in uncomfortable ways of the trauma (flashbacks, nightmares, physical sensations that resemble how you felt at the time of the trauma). These memories are stored for your protection and will resurface at different times. This can feel extremely overwhelming and make you feel powerless. 

PTSD symptoms typically occur in the form of flashbacks, nightmares, and abreactions. Abreactions occur when you forget where you are and you feel transported back to the original traumatic situation, as if it were happening NOW, instead of in the past. You may also find yourself “spacing out” at times. This is also called dissociation, or disconnecting from the here and now. ALL of these symptoms are normal and are your body’s way of trying to protect itself from future harm.

Our body is also designed to heal itself. If you physically are hurt, your body will attempt to send the corrective cells to heal itself. The brain is different in that its memories are stored in the senses. In order to protect itself, it will “remind” you of the damages that it is holding – through flashes of memories that can only be experienced in the way that it was taken in (sights, sounds, smells, taste, touch). These sensory memories do not have a sense of time, therefore, it can feel like it is happening again, even if years have passed by.

The goal of treatment of trauma-based problems is to help your brain and body “process” the pain that it holds. It needs to take these sensory memories and attach meaning to them. If your meaning is critical or shaming (“I’m so dumb, I should be over this by now”, for example), it will only cause the trauma to be re-traumatizing and never processed or healed.

Recovery is found in creating a link between your sensory experience and your logic. This is only found by talking about your story with someone that you trust that can help you understand what is happening in your mind. Your interpretation of what has happened is what makes the experience most meaningful and is what helps put the sensory experiences in the past, where they belong.

You are courageous when it comes to protecting others. To keep on with that mission, take courage and protect yourself. You can train your brain and recover. Many have done it; so can you!