{"id":109662,"date":"2024-02-07T14:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-07T15:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=109662"},"modified":"2024-02-07T15:36:18","modified_gmt":"2024-02-07T15:36:18","slug":"misconceptions-about-ptsd-part-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=109662","title":{"rendered":"Misconceptions about PTSD: Part One"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this first episode of a two-part series on the PTSD Bytes podcast, host Dr. Colleen Becket-Davenport<\/a> discusses some common myths surrounding PTSD with Dr. Kelly Maieritsch, clinical psychologist and director of the PTSD Mentoring program<\/a> that supports PTSD specialty clinics throughout VA.<\/p>\n

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Myth<\/strong>: Only military Veterans and people in combat zones get PTSD.<\/p>\n

Fact<\/strong>: Anyone who experiences or witnesses a traumatic event can develop PTSD.<\/p>\n

Many different experiences can lead to PTSD\u2014not just combat. These can include physical and sexual assault, serious work accidents or natural disasters. These events can occur at different points in your life\u2014ranging from childhood to adulthood\u2014whether during military service or not.<\/p>\n

Myth<\/strong>: Everyone who experiences trauma develops PTSD.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fact<\/strong>: Traumatic events do not automatically lead to PTSD, and everyone reacts differently to trauma.<\/p>\n

People who experience traumatic events have a wide range of reactions, including constantly thinking about what happened, experiencing increased anger or fear, or having a hard time concentrating. Feeling upset or distressed are common reactions to trauma and, for many people, they begin to decrease over time. It is when these expected reactions do not get better over time that individuals develop PTSD.<\/p>\n

Myth<\/strong>: PTSD occurs immediately after a traumatic event.<\/p>\n

Fact<\/strong>: Symptoms of PTSD may take months or even years to appear.<\/p>\n

For some people, normal-type reactions quickly transition into stronger reactions that negatively affect day-to-day living. For others, these reactions only start to affect them later on in life. Some adults do not have PTSD symptoms until retirement. Work may have helped distract them or bury their feelings about trauma for years.<\/p>\n

In this video, Veterans describe why they were hesitant to get PTSD treatment:<\/p>\n

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