“You never know how strong you are, until being strong is the only choice you have.” – Bob Marley
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a type of anxiety disorder which you may develop after being involved in or witnessing traumatic events. The condition was first recognized in war veterans and has been known by a variety of names, including ‘shell shock’. However, it’s not only diagnosed in soldiers since a wide range of traumatic experiences can cause PTSD in everyone.
When an individual experiences a traumatic event, what follows next are symptom associated with PTSD. This includes feeling numb or having trouble sleeping. This is sometimes described as an ‘acute stress reaction’. However, PTSD as a disorder is much more severe and pervasive and can affect the individual’s ability to function normally.
There are several events that can lead to PTSD. These include:
- Military combat
- Road accidents
- Terrorist attacks
- Violent personal assaults such as mugging, sexual assault, or robbery
- Unexpected death of a friend or close family member
- Diagnosis of a life-threatening condition
- Natural disasters like severe earthquakes, floods, or tsunamis
- Being held hostage
- Witnessing violent deaths
- Severe neglect
- Violence
- Prolonged sexual abuse
- Past depression or anxiety experiences
- Having little or no support from family, friends, or colleagues
- Physical injuries
- Experiencing repeated trauma
The effects of this condition touch every area of an individual’s life leaving virtually nothing unscathed. The most common effects of PTSD may include:
- Dissociative symptoms
- Pseudo-hallucinations
- Anger
- Eating disorders
- Difficulty feeling emotions
- Paranoia
- Sleep problems
- Difficulty regulating emotions
- Difficulty maintaining a job
- Inability to maintain stable relationships
- Suicidal attempts, thoughts, or completed suicide
- Self-mutilation
- Self-harm
- Agoraphobia (an anxiety disorder described by an intense fear of any situation or place from which escape might be difficult)
- Social phobia
- Substance abuse
- Guilt
- Nightmares
- Depression, etc.
If you are diagnosed with PTSD, you might be told that you have mild, moderate or severe PTSD. It explains what sort of impact your symptoms will have on you – it’s not a description of how frightening or upsetting your experiences will be.
PTSD may be described in some situations such as:
- Delayed-onset PTSD – if your symptoms emerge more than six months after experiencing trauma, this might be described as ‘delayed PTSD’ or ‘delayed-onset PTSD’.
- Complex PTSD – if you experienced trauma at an early age or if it lasted for a long time, you might be given a diagnosis of ‘complex PTSD’.
- Birth trauma – PTSD that develops after a traumatic experience of childbirth is also known as ‘birth trauma’.
EXPERIENCES OF FACING STIGMA
There are lots of misconceptions about PTSD. For example, people may wrongly assume it means you are ‘dwelling’ on past events. They might even suggest that you ‘get over it’ or ‘move on’. But having PTSD isn’t a choice or a sign of weakness, and it’s important to remember that you are not alone. So, the question now is, how does PTSD affect the creative mind during recovery?
We know that certain functions of the body shut down when a person is faced with a threatening situation. This allows other parts to become more active. Larger sets of muscles receive more blood as the heart rate increases, allowing for the well-documented ‘fight-or-flight’ response. While the body tenses and readies to ‘respond,’ some areas of the brain become less active. Hence, the ability to process emotional responses and store memories during a traumatic event can be impaired while pre-programmed survival mechanisms kick in.
POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS
For some, this will lead to a condition known as PTS (post-traumatic stress). The intense emotions associated with an unintegrated traumatic memory can impair normal functioning in daily life for those experiencing PTS. Not everyone experiencing a traumatic event will go on to develop PTSD. However, for those that do, PTSD is treatable. Eventually, there can actually be benefits that result from a well-integrated traumatic event. This is called post-traumatic growth.
POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH
Many people experience a meaningful improvement in their psychological outlook on life after a traumatic or life-altering event. For example, after a near-death experience, some report a renewed zest for living, an intense wonder at the beauty of the natural world that surrounds them, and a deeply felt sense of purpose not previously recognized.
In one study, Robert James Miller II and David Read Johnson noted an increased capacity for symbolic thinking in a group of 56 Vietnam War veterans who experienced PTSD. From the abstract: “Unexpectedly, subjects with PTSD in comparison to subjects without PTSD showed a greater capacity for symbolic representation, and no difference in verbal capacity, raising new questions as to the mechanism by which trauma could increase the capacity for mental imagery.”
It’s possible that in order to avoid re-experiencing a traumatic event (because memories of the event have not been properly stored), some people unknowingly strengthen their ability to think symbolically as a coping mechanism. Since we know that symbolic thinking is a foundation of the creative process, can an unexpected benefit of trauma be an increase in creativity?
SURGES IN CREATIVITY
There is compelling evidence that suggests surges in creativity could be linked to the experience of trauma. Dr Marie Forgeard conducted an online study with which she was able to investigate this idea. Initially, an online questionnaire was filled out by participants, whose answers were used to measure post-traumatic growth, thoughts related to the event, and growth of creativity. In this study, Forgeard used two measures: (1) scores on a measure of post-traumatic growth and depreciation and (2) scores on self-reported measures of creativity in the aftermath of adversity.
According to the information collected, she found that “… adversity-induced distress predicted self-reported creative growth and breadth in a sample of online participants. Cognitive processing [intrusive/deliberative thoughts] as well as domains of post-traumatic growth/depreciation—in particular, self-reported changes in interpersonal relationships and in the perception of new possibilities for one’s life—mediated the link between self-reported distress and creativity outcomes.” In other words, the adverse events seemed to improve the participant’s ability to relate with other people and to have a more positive outlook towards life.
It is important to note that intrusive thoughts describe a process where the individual is primarily focused on the symptoms of the distress being experienced as opposed to solutions for these symptoms. On the other hand, deliberate thoughts are a process by which an individual turns inward and engages in reflection along with contemplation about various problem-solving possibilities.
Given the links between trauma and creativity creative therapies such as art therapy or expressive writing, coupled with supported deliberate reflection practice, could be beneficial in the recovery process for individuals wishing to deal with the aftermath of traumatic, life-altering events and/or full-blown PTSD.
WHAT HAPPENS IF PTSD GOES UNTREATED?
With PTSD, your thoughts or emotions are disrupted by recurring intrusive thoughts and recollections of the event to a degree that negatively impacts your everyday life. The good news is that PTSD is treatable. The prognosis is good for those who seek help. This means that the earlier help is sought, the better the outcome will be.
The bad news is that PTSD is often a progressive disorder. Not only is it unlikely to go away on its own, but left untreated, the symptoms can become much worse with time. PTSD can become debilitating, interfering with your day-to-day life in a number of ways. Commonly, untreated PTSD sufferers go on to experience:
- Substance abuse in an attempt to calm their anxiety, which only exacerbates the problem.
- Anger management issues as recurring stress and anxiety result in outbursts of anger or rage. This may result in child or spousal abuse or public violence.
- PTSD can make a person very difficult to be around. As a result, sufferers may end up isolated and alone.
- Severe depression is always a risk with PTSD. Sufferers may even demonstrate suicidal thoughts or actions while in the midst of a PTSD episode.
PTSD is complicated, with dangerous physical and psychological consequences if not treated properly. Therefore, if you know someone who is experiencing these symptoms or may have some of the symptoms listed above, it’s advisable that you get help as soon as possible in order to manage the effects of PTSD.
A good assessment and an accurate diagnosis are the first steps in treating PTSD. Getting the right specialist to implement the best-fitting treatment for a particular situation and symptoms is key.
CONCLUSION
Notably, if one is able to overcome the effects of PTSD as an artist, they may be able to use their experiences to produce art, whether it is a piece of writing, drawing, painting or any form of media that is based on their experiences. Some people who have gone through traumatic experiences have often found that writing about it can be part of the healing process.
In the end, no one wants to actually go through something traumatic but if life does happen to throw something your way, it’s best that you try at least to find the best solutions to manage the pain that comes with trauma. Though it is horrible to experience anything other than the norm, especially for those who have gone through wars, abuse, sexual assault and more; let’s remember that there is still a beauty to life that we all should appreciate every day we live and be able to take the bad, with the good as we continue on our individual journey to wellness.
- https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/about-ptsd
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic
Mimi Machakaire is a Zimbabwean with a Diploma in Film Production from the University of Zimbabwe and a Diploma in journalism from Rutherford Hayes University, in the United States of America. She has a great passion for writing, journalism and storytelling. She currently resides in Maseru city, Lesotho.
