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28th March 2024 

Symptoms

Do you suffer from any of the following?

Emotional Overwhelm
Irritability
Little or no memories
Loss of a sense of "who I am"
Nightmares
Flashbacks
Insomnia
Hypervigilance
Inability to concentrate
Mistrust
Feeling unreal or out of your body
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Numbness
Chronic "illness" (headaches/backaches/stomach upsets)
Substance Abuse/Addiction
Eating disorders
Loss of a sense of future
Self-destructive behaviour
Hopelessness
Shame and worthlessness
Depression

The experiences above can be understood as symptoms of your having experienced something which has not been resolved or processed completely. When we experience something which makes us feel unsafe our brain chemistry and our physiology changes but sometimes even when we are safe again we can continue to respond to our environments as if we are still in danger. We become stuck in our Fight/Flight/Freeze survival responses and this is called PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). This condition is not exclusive to war veterans. Anyone who has experienced a one - off or repeatedly frightening experience can suffer from PTSD. This can include experiences such as being trapped in unresolvable relationships as a child or having a sudden bereavement. PTSD can express itself in a number of different ways including the symptoms outlined above.

If this rings true for you, psychotherapy can help. If you would like any further information, please don't hesitate to ask me. I look forward to hearing from you.