All about PTSD Side Effects, Causes, and Treatments

Healthful Vitality | 09/07/2021 | By NP Contributor | All about PTSD Side Effects, Causes, and Treatments

The new decade is witnessing an alarming rise in the number of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) cases. Moreover, the consequent PTSD side effects can lead to other associated psychological ailments. According to American Psychiatric Association, about one in 11 people of the U.S population will be diagnosed with PTSD in their lifetime. [1] PTSD is a mental condition that may occur in people who had exposure to an extremely traumatic event. It could be of: [2]

• The unexpected death of loved ones,
• Childhood Abuses,
• Excessive Bullying,
• Natural Disasters,
• Sexual Assaults,
• Traffic Accidents,
• War Events, or
• Terrorist Attacks, etc.

Why do PTSD side effects occur?

In general, PTSD side effects occur due to failure in recovering from the memories of the terrifying event. Furthermore, pre-existing psychological ailments and some genetic factors have a role in the severity of the disorder. Besides that, a bunch of associated physical and mental side effects may be noticed in a long run. Interpersonal traumas like sexual assaults, emotional neglect, etc. are more dangerous.

Let us have a deeper look into the symptoms and side effects of PTSD and most importantly its long-term side effects. Afterwards, we will see the treatment options for PTSD as a concluding note.

PTSD symptoms and side effects 

To begin with, the onset of PTSD side effects can be prevented by effectively managing the PTSD symptoms.

PTSD symptoms

The PTSD symptoms are broadly classified into three domains: [3] [4] [5]

1. Intrusion Symptoms,
2. Avoidance Symptom, and
3. Symptom of increased arousal.

Intrusion Symptoms

The intrusion symptoms occur following exposure to the traumatic event:

• Increased fear
• Recurring flashbacks
• Increased nightmares
• Disturbing memories

Avoidance Symptoms

Avoidance symptoms occur in a later stage. They are PTSD side effects arising due to the individual’s efforts to prevent recollection of the scary event. They are:

• Loss of interest in hobbies,
• Memory problems,
• Decreased facial and vocal expressions,
• Feelings of detachment, and
• Hopelessness in future

Increased Arousal Symptoms 

Symptoms of increased arousal indicate physical PTSD side effects. Certainly, these PTSD symptoms affect the normal quality of life. They are:

• Sleeplessness, in other words, inability to sleep,
• Always being in an irritated state, and
• Hypervigilance: the subject always remains in an alerted state as there is an upcoming danger even though it is not the reality.

PTSD symptoms in Children

Children in large number are victims of PTSD. In addition to the above mentioned PTSD side effects and symptoms, children show the following ones: [6]

• Showing the scary events they experienced as acts, plays, etc.
• Challenging behavior such as;
  • Physical aggression.
  • Verbal aggression.
  • Self Harming behavior.
• Being inactive, etc.

Long-term PTSD side effects

If you see many of the above-mentioned symptoms, you might be suffering from PTSD. For this reason, you should take timely treatment. Otherwise, it might end up having long-term side effects as revealed below.

PTSD side effects on families 

In a family, children are most affected when one or both of the parents suffer from PTSD. The trauma of domestic violence is another common trigger for PTSD in children. Besides that, it becomes difficult for partners to cope with one who is always in fear and socially isolated. In this regard, the family of military personal are the classically studied cases of PTSD. The partners of veterans struggle with unique patterns of stress. [7]

“If you have a family, [PTSD] becomes a family issue when family members start taking it on.”

– Robert Murphy. U.S. ARMY, 1966-1969

PTSD side effects on Relationships

Undoubtedly, PTSD symptoms affect the development and maintenance of successful relationships. Moreover, PTSD side effects have an impact on trust, closeness and communication. Emotional outbursts or lack of expression adds ‘insult to the injury.’ These can directly affect even the ‘made for each other’ relationships. [7]

Other Long-Term PTSD side effects

The other long-term PTSD side effects include a variety of issues such as: [8] [9] 

• Persistent worries, fear and anxiety,
• Increased risk for developing other mental health disorders like depression, schizophrenia & bipolar disorder,
• Low self-esteem,
• Excessive feeling of guilt,
• Problems with Interpersonal affairs,
• Lose of trust in others,
• Worsening of physical ailments,
• Alcohol and drug dependency,
• Eating disorders,
• Social Isolation,
• Self-harm, and
• Suicidal thoughts and attempts.

Treatment for PTSD

Before starting treatment, PTSD is to be diagnosed by a qualified medical professional. According to the criteria described in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), [10] PTSD is diagnosed if multiple of the above-mentioned symptoms persist for more than one month. Any attempt at self-treatment may end up in serious complications. Treatments for PTSD include therapies and medications.

Therapies

Includes various behavioural counselling sessions aiming at an optimistic approach towards dreadful memories. [11] [12]

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Focus on changing the patterns of behavior by imparting a positive thought process.
• Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT): It is a subset of CBT. It helps patients to learn the management of the thoughts related to trauma.
• Cognitive Therapy: A subset of CBT. Focus on replacing terrifying memories that affect daily life activities.
• Prolonged Exposure Therapy: Trains the patient to slowly approach the trauma-related memories. In other words, it helps the patient to realize that the trauma-related feelings are to be faced rather than fully avoiding them.

Medications

There are various ongoing research projects towards effective medication for PTSD side effects. At present FDA recommends Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) group of drugs only. [11] [12] They include;

• Sertraline (Zoloft) and
• Paroxetine (Paxil).

In addition, some other drugs have conditional approval. You need to consult a qualified medical professional before deciding on any medication, including treatment for PTSD.

Takeaway

Nowadays, PTSD is becoming more common. It can cause numerous symptoms which in effect reduces the quality of life. If not treated, PTSD symptoms may lead to long-term PTSD side effects. For this reason, appropriate treatment should be taken. PTSD treatments focus on the modification of the thought process positively thus enabling a normal lifestyle.

References:

1. American Psychiatric Association (APA). Article titled, What Is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder? Available at: https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/ptsd/what-is-ptsd
2. National Institute of Mental Health (NIH). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Available at: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd
3. Kaplan & Sadock’s Textbook of Clinical Psychiatry. Sixth Edition. Chapter 14- Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders.
4. Miao XR, Chen QB, Wei K, Tao KM, Lu ZJ. Posttraumatic stress disorder: from diagnosis to prevention. Mil Med Res. 2018;5(1):32. Published 2018 Sep 28. doi:10.1186/s40779-018-0179-0. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6161419/
5. Post-traumatic stress disorder. Jonathan I Bisson, Sarah Cosgrove, Catrin Lewis, Neil P Roberts. BMJ. 2015; 351: h6161. Published online 2015 Nov 26. doi: 10.1136/bmj.h6161. PMCID: PMC4663500. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4663500/
6. NHS UK. Symptoms of PTSD in children. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/symptoms/
7. U.S Department for Veterans Affairs. PTSD: National Center for PTSD. Effects of PTSD. Available at: https://www.ptsd.va.gov/family/effects_ptsd.asp
8. Pineyridge Treatment Centre. Symptoms and Side Effects of PTSD and Trauma.  Available at: https://www.pineyridge.net/disorders/ptsd/causes-effects-symptoms/
9. Australian Department of Health. MODULE 4: WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE: LEARNER’S WORKBOOK 5.1 Understanding difficult behaviour. Available at: https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/drugtreat-pubs-front4-wk-toc~drugtreat-pubs-front4-wk-secb~drugtreat-pubs-front4-wk-secb-5~drugtreat-pubs-front4-wk-secb-5-1#:~:text=Difficult
10. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA.
11. American Psychiatric Association. PTSD Treatment Guidelines. Available at: https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/treatments
12. Alexander W. Pharmacotherapy for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder In Combat Veterans: Focus on Antidepressants and Atypical Antipsychotic Agents. P T. 2012;37(1):32-38. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3278188/#!po=71.8750