Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Sometimes events in our lives are recorded as memories that give rise to symptoms. Most people will understand that military personnel and members of the emergency services will encounter many things that give rise to continuing feelings and may include flashbacks to the traumatising event(s).

Any event of sufficient significance can produce symptoms. These may appear in one person but not in another who experienced the same event as each person's own interpretation of a particular event is their own and modified by their own life experiences. PTSD symptoms may not occur for some time and resultant behaviours may not be consciously linked to the causative event and it it is not a sign of weakness.

Development of PTSD does not indicate any psychological weakness and anyone can be susceptible in particular circumstances.

Symptoms may include,

• Persistent anxiety
• Irritability
• Insomnia
• Inability to concentrate
• Nightmares/distressing dreams
• Avoidance of remembering the event(s)
• Emotional numbness
• Depression
• Aggressive behaviour
• Alcohol and/or drug abuse
• High risk behaviours such as reckless driving
• Deliberate self harm/destructive behaviour

PTSD can be very distressing, not only for the person suffering from it, but for those around them, be they be family, friends or workmates/colleagues and may damage family and social relationships and careers.

It can be treated by a combination of Clinical Hypnotherapy and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) which together form a powerful and effective therapy.*

*Please remember that, whilst the treatment I can provide is very effective, everyone's perception of their experiences and psychological make-up is unique to them, so no promise or guarantee of complete or partial remission of symptoms can be given.