Living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can feel like an uphill battle. You may experience flashbacks, nightmares, and intense anxiety long after a traumatic event. But you’re not alone. Recent statistics show that about 6% of Americans will develop PTSD at some point in their lives. Understanding the long-term effects of PTSD is crucial for finding the right support and treatment. In this article, we’ll explore how PTSD can impact your daily life, relationships, and overall well-being. You’ll learn about:
- Common long-term symptoms
- Effects on physical and mental health
- Treatment options and coping strategies
By the end, you’ll have a clearer picture of PTSD’s lasting impact and the resources available to help you heal.
Call us at (833) 287-7223 today or reach out online.
What Does PTSD Do to You Long-Term?
Persistent Traumatic Memories
The hallmark of long-term PTSD is recurrent, intrusive memories and flashbacks of the traumatic event. According to sources, these distressing recollections can persist for many years, causing intense psychological distress. People may continually re-experience the trauma through nightmares or dissociative reactions.
Avoidance & Emotional Numbness
Over time, individuals with PTSD often develop patterns of avoidance. They may withdraw from activities, situations or people associated with the trauma. This avoidance, coupled with emotional numbness or detachment, can severely strain personal relationships and lead to social isolation, according to sources.
Negative Thought Patterns
Long-term PTSD is characterized by persistent negative beliefs about oneself or the world. Sources state that people may experience disturbing thoughts like horror, anger, guilt or shame related to the traumatic event. These thought patterns can significantly impact self-esteem and worldview.
Physiological Effects
Untreated PTSD takes a heavy toll on physical health over time. According to sources, it disrupts the body’s stress response leading to problems like insomnia, hypervigilance and increased medical issues. The trauma also rewires the brain, causing functional and structural changes that may never fully reverse.
How PTSD Changes a Person
Cognitive & Emotional Impact
PTSD profoundly impacts a person’s thoughts and emotions. Trauma can impair cognitive functions, making it difficult to concentrate or remember details. Overwhelming anxiety, sadness, numbness and disassociation are common. Intrusive memories or flashbacks can trigger intense fear, causing the person to avoid trauma reminders.
Behavioral Changes
Drug abuse often co-occurs with PTSD as people turn to substances to cope with symptoms. This drastically alters behavior as the need for drugs overshadows other priorities. Lying, social withdrawal and disinterest in normal activities arise. Anger outbursts and irritability may also occur.
Relationship Struggles
Unresolved trauma diminishes one’s sense of safety, making it difficult to trust others and form healthy bonds. Difficulty regulating emotions can strain relationships. The person may feel isolated, avoiding situations that trigger traumatic memories. This emotional detachment takes a toll on personal connections.
The Enduring Impact of Traumatic Memory
Haunting Recollections
Your traumatic memories linger, replaying the distressing events vividly in your mind’s eye. These intrusive thoughts and flashbacks are hallmarks of PTSD, making it difficult to move forward.
Brain Rewiring
Trauma fundamentally alters the brain’s neural pathways, heightening your fight-or-flight response. This rewiring increases anxiety, emotional distress, and a constant state of hypervigilance.
Avoidance Reinforces Fear
To cope, you may instinctively avoid trauma reminders. However, this avoidance reinforces the brain’s fear associations, perpetuating your PTSD symptoms over time.
Physical Effects of PTSD
Physiological Changes
Trauma can trigger physiological changes in the body, resulting in heightened stress responses and chronic health conditions over time. As this source explains, prolonged stress puts extra strain on major body systems like the cardiovascular, immune, and nervous systems.
Common Symptoms
Physical symptoms of PTSD can include increased heart rate, sweating, muscle tension, sleep disturbances, headaches, and digestive issues. These indicators of a hyper-alert state reflect the body’s ongoing trauma response.
Long-Term Impacts
Untreated PTSD can lead to serious long-term physical effects. People with PTSD face higher risks of cardiovascular disease, obesity, autoimmune disorders, and inflammation due to chronic overactivation of the stress response system. Seeking treatment is crucial for reducing these health risks.
Effects of PTSD on Relationships and Day-to-Day Life
Relationship Challenges
PTSD can make it extremely difficult to maintain healthy relationships with loved ones. Those suffering often struggle with feelings of detachment, lack of trust, irritability, and emotional numbness. According to research, up to 20% of veterans returning from war experience PTSD, which frequently leads to relationship strain and isolation. The inability to open up or connect emotionally takes a major toll.
Daily Difficulties
Day-to-day functioning is also severely impacted by PTSD symptoms like flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, and concentration problems. Trauma can harm memory and focus, making it challenging to stay present, organized and productive at work or school. Even basic tasks like recalling where items were placed become difficult. This consistent struggle takes an emotional and practical toll over time.
Support System Importance
Having a strong support network is crucial for managing PTSD’s effects. Loved ones provide motivation for self-care, a stable environment, and social connections – all key protective factors. Treatment addressing the root trauma is also essential, as untreated PTSD can worsen and lead to other issues like depression, substance abuse, and risky behaviors.
Risky Substance Use with PTSD
Self-Medication Coping Strategy
You may turn to alcohol or drugs as a way to cope with the distressing symptoms of PTSD like flashbacks, insomnia, anxiety and hypervigilance. Substance abuse can provide temporary relief by numbing painful emotions and memories. However, self-medicating with addictive substances often worsens PTSD over time and leads to a vicious cycle of addiction.
Increased Risk Factors
Experiencing trauma fundamentally changes the brain, making it harder to control impulses and make healthy choices. Traumatic experiences like abuse or combat increase your risk of developing substance use disorders. Growing up in an environment where drugs were misused or having a family history of addiction are other risk factors.
Dangerous Consequences
Abusing substances like heroin, meth or prescription medications can severely impact your physical and mental health. Heroin causes intense cravings, psychological dependence, mood swings and withdrawal symptoms that reinforce continued use. Medications like gabapentin carry risks when misused, especially with depressants like alcohol or opioids.
Long-Term PTSD Treatment
Comprehensive Therapies
Long-term PTSD treatment requires a multi-pronged approach tailored to each individual. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) are evidence-based therapies commonly used. Evoke Waltham offers such therapies to help clients process trauma and develop coping mechanisms.
Dual Diagnosis Care
Many with PTSD also struggle with substance abuse disorders. Evoke’s dual diagnosis program provides integrated treatment for co-occurring PTSD and addiction through counseling, medication management, and holistic wellness activities. This comprehensive approach promotes long-term healing.
Ongoing Support
Recovering from PTSD is an ongoing journey. Evoke offers aftercare resources like alumni support groups, check-ins, and therapy access to reinforce progress and prevent relapse. This continuity of care nurtures sustained mental wellness.
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding the long-term effects of PTSD is crucial for both those affected and their loved ones. Remember, you’re not alone in this journey. With proper support and treatment, managing PTSD symptoms and improving quality of life is possible. Recent statistics show that about 6% of adults in the U.S. will experience PTSD in their lifetime, but 67% of those who seek treatment show significant improvement. Take the first step towards healing by reaching out to mental health professionals, support groups, or trusted individuals. By addressing PTSD head-on, you can work towards reclaiming your life and building a brighter future. Don’t hesitate to seek help – your well-being matters.
Begin Your Journey with Evoke Wellness at Waltham
If you or a loved one is considering outpatient treatment, Evoke Wellness at Waltham invites you to contact us. Our compassionate team is ready to answer your questions, discuss your needs, and help you take the first steps toward recovery. At Evoke Wellness, you will find more than just a treatment program – you’ll discover a community dedicated to your wellness and success. Together, let’s embrace the journey to recovery and the promise of a new beginning. Call us at (833) 287-7223 today or reach out online.
