Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

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If you’re suffering from the disruptive and debilitating effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to a traumatic experience, it’s important to work with a lawyer experienced with PTSD legal cases to understand your rights. Exposure to trauma can have lifelong repercussions. PTSD is a serious condition that can leave a person unable to work, study, drive, travel, fulfill household responsibilities, or enjoy life. If your mental health has suffered as a result of trauma, it’s important to know about PTSD.

What Are the Causes of PTSD?

PTSD can have many root causes. While direct exposure to physical or emotional trauma is the most common cause of PTSD, it can also be caused by witnessing a traumatic event. Some common PTSD triggers include:

• Physical abuse.
• Sexual abuse.
• Emotional or psychological abuse.
• Being the victim of violence.
• Being threatened with violence.
• Witnessing violence.
• A serious accident.
• A serious injury.
• A traumatic childbirth experience.
• A traumatic medical experience.

There’s no “limit” to what kind of traumatic memories can cause PTSD. It can occur from situations that take place in public, in a hospital, in an educational setting, in a workplace setting, on public transportation, at home, or on vacation. It can also affect people of all ages. Finally, it’s important to know that a traumatic experience doesn’t have to be “fresh” to trigger PTSD. It’s possible for PTSD to develop years after a traumatic event.

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Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

PTSD can manifest in a variety of ways. In fact, many people live for years with painful symptoms caused by traumatic events before realizing they are experiencing the effects of PTSD. Common symptoms of PTSD include:

• Intrusive memories.
• Flashbacks to a traumatic event.
• Upsetting dreams and nightmares.
• Physical reactions and emotional distress in response to things that remind you of a traumatic event.
• A need to spend energy on avoiding thoughts, activities, places, or people that remind you of a traumatic event.
• Negative mood.
• Negative thoughts.
• Hopelessness.
• Memory problems.
• Difficulty maintaining close relationships.
• Feeling detached from other people.
• A lack of interest in things you once found enjoyable.
• A habit of being easily startled or frightened.
• Self-destructive behaviours.
• Depression.
• Anxiety.
• Suicidal thoughts.
• Sleep troubles.
• Irritability.
• Anger.
• Aggressive behaviour.
• Feelings of guilt and shame.
• Hyperarousal (feeling “on edge”)
• Reliance on substances to cope with negative feelings.

Studies involving brain scans show that people with PTSD actually have notable brain changes that occur following sexual abuse, physical abuse, accidents, and other traumatic events.  The hippocampus is the area of the brain responsible for processing memory and emotions. Generally, the hippocampus of a person with PTSD is smaller than the hippocampus of an individual without PTSD.

If you feel that your life is being negatively impacted by a PTSD-triggering event, it’s important to seek help from a law firm specializing in PTSD cases in Alberta or British Columbia.

How PTSD Can Have Long-Term Effects

There are many ways that PTSD can reduce quality of life. PTSD can also have a negative effect on your physical health. Studies have shown that the bodies of people with PTSD are flooded with abnormally high levels of stress hormones. They will produce the adrenaline needed to stay in a “fight or flight” state even when no immediate danger is present. Unfortunately, this can have devastating effects on a person’s long-term health. This chronic stress can increase a person’s risks for weight gain, heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, and stroke.

PTSD can also harm a person’s relationships, ability to work, ability to travel, and overall enjoyment of life. In addition to increasing a person’s chances of developing anxiety and depression, PTSD can also put a person at risk for issues with drugs and alcohol. In some cases, the impulsive and aggressive behaviours that often accompany PTSD can land a person in legal trouble.

Speak to Davie & Associates to Navigate Through a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Injury Case

At Davie & Assoc­iates, we know how serious PTSD can be. We want to help you overcome your trauma and get back to living life to its fullest. We routinely help clients seeking compensation to rebuild their lives after PTSD has left them unable to do the things they once did so easily. Rest assured that our law office will take your claim seriously, treat you with respect, and provide personalized attention as we help you navigate your legal rights. Our offices are conveniently located in Red Deer, Edmonton and Penticton.

Contact Davie & Associates today to take the steps to take back your life if exposure to trauma has stolen your quality of life from you.

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