Unexpected Symptoms of PTSD
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a complex condition that can manifest in various ways. While many people associate PTSD with flashbacks, hypervigilence, and nightmares (and those can certainly be part of it), there are several unexpected symptoms that often go unrecognized. Let’s take a look at a few other lesser-known trauma and PTSD symptoms. By increasing awareness and understanding, we can create a more supportive environment for individuals affected by PTSD and facilitate early intervention and appropriate trauma treatment.
Physical symptoms
You might’ve heard the phrase “the body keeps the score” - and it’s true! While PTSD is primarily known for its psychological and emotional toll, it can also manifest in physical symptoms. Individuals with PTSD may experience chronic pain, migraines, muscle tension, gastrointestinal issues, or other unexplained medical conditions. These physical symptoms often arise as a result of the body's response to prolonged stress and anxiety. Healing from PTSD requires addressing both the psychological and physical symptoms of trauma.
PTSD is a complex condition that can manifest in a variety of ways and needs treatment from a licensed trauma expert.
Dissociation
You know that experience of driving to the grocery store - and you suddenly realize you’re in the grocery store parking lot, but don’t remember the last 3 turns to get there? That’s dissociation. Let’s be clear - everyone dissociates to some degree. Yourself and myself included. But higher degrees of dissociation are a more common coping skill among trauma survivors - especially when the trauma was complex (repeated, prolonged, or relational) or occurred during childhood.
Dissociation is one way the brain tries to protect itself from further pain, especially if you weren’t able to physically escape the situation while it was occurring (and no shame there, my friends, freezing is a totally normal trauma response!). Dissociation is a common PTSD symptom. It’s a state of feeling disconnected from yourself or your environment. Some people feel like they’re not real, or the world around them isn’t real.
Dissociation can also involve “spacing out,” feeling detached, excessive daydreaming, or experiencing gaps in memory.
Emotional numbing
While it's known that PTSD involves negative emotions, like shame, horror, guilt, anxiety, or dread - difficulty experiencing positive emotions is less recognized. Those with PTSD might find it challenging to experience joy, happiness, or contentment even in situations that would usually evoke such emotions, like attending a celebration or achieving a personal milestone. This is known as emotional numbing.
When our brains try to keep us from feeling the negative emotions after trauma, the positive ones get shut down too. We can’t numb only negative feelings while still having the positive ones - all of our emotions get dulled. These symptoms can be distressing and impact an individual's ability to engage in daily activities and form meaningful connections. People often shame themselves for their response, asking “Why can’t I just be happy?”
This is one reason PTSD may get misdiagnosed as depression, especially if you first show up to your primary care provider with low mood, low energy, low motivation, lower sex drive, trouble sleeping, etc. Providers who aren’t trained in trauma are likely to misdiagnose PTSD as “just” depression or anxiety.
Avoidance behaviors
Avoidance is one of the key pieces that differentiates generalized anxiety symptoms from trauma symptoms. There tend to be greater attempts at avoiding when trauma is involved. Individuals with PTSD often develop avoidance behaviors as a way to cope with distressing memories or triggers. This can include avoiding certain places, people, activities, or conversations that remind them of the traumatic event/relationship. It can also include avoiding things like setting boundaries, saying “no” to something, Sometimes avoidance is an intentional choice; sometimes it’s subconscious.
Avoidance behaviors are the brain’s attempt to manage anxiety and prevent potential triggers from causing emotional or physical distress. However, avoidance can also limit your ability to fully participate in life and hinder your recovery process. Avoidance only works in the very immediate short term, and it typically exchanges very short-term relief for long-term complications.
Unhealthy behaviors and relationship patterns
You might’ve heard that what remains unhealed gets repeated. It’s pretty true. Our brains crave safety first and foremost, and in brain terms, safety means “familiar.” So if your “familiar” is unhealthy, you might find yourself stuck in cycles of toxic relationships, bored in healthy relationships with emotionally available partners, engaging in high-risk activities like substance abuse, or engaging in “too much of a good thing” like working out.
Seeking trauma treatment
PTSD is a complex disorder with a range of symptoms that extend beyond the commonly known flashbacks and nightmares. By recognizing the unexpected manifestations of PTSD, we can provide better support, promote early intervention, and encourage a more comprehensive approach to treatment. Trauma is treatable!
If you’re struggling to heal from PTSD, please don’t hesitate to reach out about trauma therapy. Talk therapy won’t get you far when it comes to healing from trauma and PTSD; brains need a more specialized, mind-body integrated treatment approach. EMDR works with a different part of the brain than talk therapy, allowing us to resolve trauma symptoms and greatly improve quality of life for those living with PTSD.
Sea Glass Counseling and Consultation is an EMDR therapy practice in Dublin, Ohio. Our compassionate, skilled therapists use evidence-based techniques grounded in the neurobiology of stress, trauma, and relationships to make sure your treatment is personalized and effective. Sea Glass therapists provide telehealth counseling in Ohio for individuals and couples. We’re best known for providing Intensive EMDR therapy, anxiety treatment, and sex therapy for Christians. Interested in working together? Contact us today to get started with a Certified EMDR therapist in Ohio.