There are thousands upon thousands of people in the United States alone who are dealing with forms of anxiety. Anxiety comes in many forms from Generalized Anxiety Disorder to phobias and social anxiety. One of the most common forms of anxiety is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which can develop after a traumatic event. Knowing the PTSD symptoms in women can help you get the mental health therapy you need if you’re struggling with this debilitating mental illness.
How PTSD Symptoms in Women Occur
When people think of PTSD, they often think of veterans who are returning from unimaginable situations in war. While this is a very serious issue, PTSD can happen for a wide range of reasons, and women are highly susceptible to it. Although our society has made great strides when it comes to gender equality, women are still the victims of many traumatic events. The PTSD symptoms in women often occur after some of the following situations happen:
- Sexual assault
- Physical abuse
- Psychological abuse
- Threatening behavior
- Stalking
Women are far more at risk to be the victims of traumatic events in domestic situations, but there are other possibilities as well. Some of the other events that can cause PTSD include accidents, terrorism, witnessing violent acts, and more. Living with the symptoms of PTSD can make it difficult to maintain relationships as well as a career. If you may have been a victim of one of these events, it’s important to know the signs and symptoms.
PTSD Symptoms in Women
PTSD happens because of the brain’s natural way of trying to protect you from potential dangers. Whenever a traumatic event occurs, the brain logs all of the events of that situation so it can warn you before it happens again. The problem is that because it’s trying to protect you, it becomes very sensitive to anything associated with the traumatic event. These triggers can be sights, sounds, smells, memories, and other sensory events.
When PTSD triggers, you can begin to have both physical as well as psychological symptoms of anxiety. This can involve intense feelings of fear, sweating, racing thoughts, and an increase in blood pressure as well as an elevated heart rate. This becomes problematic when you’re out in public or with friends or colleagues and feel this sort of panic overwhelming you. The good news is that PTSD is treatable when you get the proper help.
Getting Help for PTSD Symptoms in Women
PACE Mental Health offers a Houston PTSD therapy psychiatrist that specializes in numerous other mental illnesses as well. We understand that PTSD is not your fault, and we want to help you learn how to overcome it. We do so by providing compassionate, caring mental health services that will empower you to take control of your life. Some of the services we offer here include:
PTSD symptoms in women can be challenging to face alone. To learn more about how we can help you overcome your PTSD, call us today at 866.971.8423.