Do You Suffer From Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?

Trauma is not only what happened to you. It is what your nervous system has kept doing since. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the name we give to a system that stayed on high alert long after the danger passed.

What PTSD actually is

PTSD is a treatable condition, not a weakness and not a verdict on how tough you are. It develops in a meaningful minority of people who experience a traumatic event — an accident, violence, war, displacement, abuse, sudden loss, or an event in which a person was utterly helpless. What matters is not only the severity of the event but the response of the system around you afterwards: whether you were believed, whether you were safe, whether you had support.

Signs worth taking seriously

• Intrusion: vivid flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive images or memories triggered by ordinary events.
• Avoidance: steering clear of reminders, people or places; losing interest in activities you used to enjoy.
• Hyperarousal: exaggerated startle, irritability, difficulty sleeping, hypervigilance, a constant sense of threat.
• Negative changes in thinking and mood: persistent hopelessness, guilt, detachment, or feeling permanently unsafe.
• Body-level symptoms: tension, breathing changes, increased startle, sleep disturbance — even when the event is not on your mind.

Trauma is not only what happened — it is what the body keeps replaying. Naming that difference is often the first act of recovery.

How PTSD is assessed

Assessment is a conversation, not a test. A trained clinician will ask about the nature of the event, how you are coping now, how it affects sleep, work, relationships and daily functioning, and whether alcohol or other substances are involved. Structured clinical instruments may be used to track severity over time. The point is to build a clear picture — not to label you.

What the evidence supports

Trauma-focused CBT and EMDR

These are the most strongly evidenced approaches. They work with the memory itself — in a safe, controlled way — helping the nervous system complete processing rather than stay stuck in a loop of alarm.

Stabilisation and grounding first

Before deep processing, most good clinicians spend time building resources: sleep hygiene, regulation skills, a reliable support person, a plan for the moments when symptoms spike. You should not be asked to dig into the worst of it before you have tools to manage the aftermath.

Psychological first aid and debriefing

Following an acute event, early support that restores safety, connection and practical help reduces the risk of longer-term difficulties.

Co-occurring conditions

Depression, anxiety, substance use and personality difficulties frequently travel with PTSD. Effective care treats them together rather than in sequence.

What you can do today

• Return to basic regulation: regular sleep, meals, movement, daylight.
• Reduce alcohol and avoid numbing strategies; they flatten the feeling temporarily and cost you recovery time later.
• Tell one safe person. Isolation reliably makes PTSD heavier.
• Write down what happened once, in detail, and keep it somewhere safe. Some people find this the first crack in the seal.

Getting help

At The Mental Health Clinic, Marie Ghorra is a licensed psychologist and trauma counsellor with ten years of experience with people living with mental illness, vulnerable displaced populations, survivors of violence, survivors of torture and PTSD. Sessions integrate cognitive-behavioural therapy, trauma-focused interventions, positive psychology and psychodynamic thinking, always at the pace that keeps you safe.