PTSD: Does this Sound Like You?
from NIMH pamphlet: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Real Illness
Have you lived through a scary and dangerous event?
- Sometimes, all of a sudden, I feel like the event is happening over again. I never know when this will occur.
- I have nightmares and bad memories of the terrifying event.
- I stay away from places that remind me of the event.
- I jump and feel very upset when something happens without warning.
- I have a hard time trusting or feeling close to other people.
- I get mad very easily.
- I feel guilty because others died and I lived.
- I have trouble sleeping and my muscles are tense.
If you have some of these problems, you may have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a real illness. People may get PTSD after living through a disturbing or frightening experience. It can be treated with medicine and therapy. You can get PTSD after you have been: in a war; raped or sexually abused; hit or harmed by someone in your family; a victim of a violent crime; in an airplane or car crash;
in a hurricane, tornado, or fire;
in an event where you thought you might be killed; or
after you have seen any of these events.
If you have PTSD, you often have nightmares or scary thoughts about the experience you went through. You try to stay away from anything that reminds you of your experience. You may feel angry and unable to trust or care about other people. You may always be on the lookout for danger. You can feel very upset when something happens suddenly or without warning. For most people, PTSD starts within about three months of the event. For some people, signs of PTSD don’t show up until years later. PTSD can happen to anyone at any age. Some people get better within six months, while others may have the illness for much longer.
You are not alone. In any year, 5.2 million Americans have PTSD. If you believe you may have PTSD, here are some steps you can take.
Talk to your doctor about the the experience that upset you.
Tell your doctor if you have scary memories, if you feel sad, if you have trouble sleeping, or if you are angry all the time. Tell your doctor if these problems keep you from doing everyday things and living your life. Ask your doctor for a checkup to make sure you don’t have some other illness. Ask your doctor if he or she has helped people with PTSD.
Special training helps doctors treat people with PTSD. If your doctor doesn’t have special training, ask for the name of a doctor or counselor who does.
If someone in your family has PTSD, it can be a hard time for family members too. Your loved one with PTSD may have symptoms that interfere with your relationship and change family life. If your loved one has PTSD, you may also be coping with these difficult feelings:
- Depressed or angry about the changes in family life.
- Fearful if your loved one is angry or aggressive.
- Reluctant to talk about the trauma or avoiding situations that might upset your loved one.
- Angry or resentful toward your loved one.
- Tired from sleep problems because of worry, depression or because of your loved one’s sleep problems.
- Isolated if your partner refuses to socialize.
- Emotional distance from your partner.
The stress of PTSD can affect all members of the family. If PTSD is affecting your family, consider contacting a mental health professional for individual, couples or family counseling. Through counseling, you can get the help you and your family needs to cope and support each other. For a referral to local services, contact the Montana Mental Health Association at 877-927-6642.
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Other Info for Vets and Families
National Suicide and Crisis Line: 1-800-273-TALK
If you or someone you love is having a mental health crisis, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency room, physician on call.
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY
The symptoms of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can overlap with those of PTSD. They include:
- Sluggishness, easily tired
- Headache
- Confusion
- Ringing in the ears or changes in the ability to hear
- Difficulty "thinking straight," memory problems, poor judgment, poor attention span, slowed thought processing
- Psychosis, depression, restlessness, combativeness, hostility
- Irritability, easily frustrated, inappropriate crying or laughing
- Difficulty speaking, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing
- Body numbness or tingling
For more info on TBI or help with accessing resources, contact the Brain Injury Association of MT at
800. 241.6442, or email biam@biamt.org. Their website is http://www.biamt.org.
The Montana Office of Veterans' Affairs has field officers available to help you find the services you need. http://dma.mt.gov/mvad/.
For information from the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department, go to http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/
Mental Health America has a number of fact sheets and resources for vets and military families. Go to
http://www.nmha.org/reunions/info.cfm
Contact information for your regional mental health center is available on our Resource Page.
Air Force Suicide Prevention Program
Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine
410.671.4656
Navy Environmental Health Center's Suicide Prevention site
757.953.0959
Marine Corps Suicide Prevention Program
National Center for PTSD
802.296.6300
National Alliance for Mental Illness-MT: 406.443.7871
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VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES