Foundation for PTSD Education

01/20/2023

Your PTSD Tip for the Day
Tip #17 – Some traumatic experiences produce permanent changes in the brain and corresponding shifts in intelligence, emotional reactivity, happiness, sociability, and other traits. Here are a few: 1) Intrusive thoughts such as repeated, involuntary memories; distressing dreams; or flashbacks of the traumatic event. The flashbacks may force you to think about the event in detail, so you're better prepared if it happens again. 2) Avoiding reminders of the traumatic event may include avoiding people, places, activities, objects and situations that may trigger distressing memories.

12/28/2022

This is the results for 2022 for Dave Mills podcast called 'War and PTSD'. It is on Spotify. Dave talks about how his PTSD dysfunctional personality traits caused havoc in his life for 50 years, before he got some of the most disastrous ones under control.

The standout moments of the year. Shout out to all the fans on Spotify.

12/10/2022

Your PTSD Tip for the Day
Tip #16 – While changes in the brain as a result of PTSD may be intended to help you survive, they're actually very unhelpful in reality, because you cannot process normal daily activities, because your brain does not allow you to move on from the traumatic experience.

12/10/2022

Your PTSD Tip for the Day
Tip #15 – PTSD symptoms are manifest in abnormal personality traits, irrational attitudes, dysfunctional behaviors, and that can result in destructive relationships.

12/06/2022

Tip #14 – Here is a long list of single-event and multiple-event traumas that can lead to PTSD.
You may be suffering from PTSD if you grew up in any of the following situations: living with parents who were judgmental and harsh, not warm and accepting, who ignored you, rejected you or did not respond to your emotions, or were inconsistent and irrational when disciplining, who were depressed, anxious, narcissistic, or self-absorbed; living in a chaotic household with lots of yelling and arguing, frequent moves; witnessing or experiencing physical or verbal abuse, experiencing emotional neglect; witnessing or experiencing sexual abuse; witnessing or experiencing domestic violence; loss one or both parents due to divorce, abandonment, or death; living in foster care or being adopted; exposure to substance abusing caregivers; living in a crime-ridden neighborhood, poverty and insecurity; exposure to crime or family member in jail; family member with mental illness; accidents, natural disasters, fires; witnessing su***de or murder.

12/04/2022

Your P TSD Tip for the Day
Tip #13
P TSD can lead to psychological problems related to anxiety, agitation, anger, 88D, learning difficulties, depression, panic attacks, sleep disturbances, permanent memory loss, phobias, OCD.

12/01/2022

Your PTSD Tip for the Day
Tip #12 – Not everyone develops PTSD after a traumatic event. The following factors increase your risk of developing PTSD:
• If you have had a previous experience with trauma, like childhood abuse
• If you have had another mental health issue, like:
o depression and anxiety
o or a substance abuse problem
• If you have had a close family member, such as a parent, with a mental health problem, like PTSD or depression
• If you have worked on a job that may expose you to traumatic events like the military or emergency medicine

12/01/2022

You are P TSD tip for the day
Tip # 11 how P TSD can change a person's brain functions:
1. It can change a person's personality which will have serious individual and social consequences.
2. P TSD is a traumatic event that causes the brain to automatically change the way it functions, without the person knowing that it has happened.
3. The brain does this automatically when our stress level reaches an extremely Level of intensity.
4. Our brains are programmed to protect us from dramatic threats that could hurt or kill us.
5. Most of the time, when the traumatic event is over, our brain switches back to its normal functions. But, when the event is extremely stressful and traumatic, the brain looks up these abnormal brain functions for an extended period of time, and that is when we have post traumatic stress disorder.

11/26/2022

The PTSD Learning Center is starting free weekly PTSD education classes on Thursday, October 27th @ 7:00 to 8:00 pm, at the Changes Counseling office. Their address is 8221 S 700 E, Sandy, UT 84070. The classes include information about what PTSD is, how traumatic events can cause PTSD, what the symptoms of PTSD are, and how you can minimize the negative effects of PTSD in your life? Everyone is welcome, no appointment is necessary. A companion, or friend, is welcome to come with you. For more information call the PTSD Learning Center at 801-464-7447.

11/18/2022

Tip # 9 - Tip for the Day

Normally, when in danger, the body produces stress harmones like adrenaline, to trigger a protective reaction in the body. This reaction, often known as the " Fight or flight" reaction, helps to deaden the senses and dull pain. People with P TSD have found to continue to produce high amounts of "fight or flight" harmones, even when there's no danger. It's thought this may be responsible for the number emotions and hyperarousal experienced by some people with P TSD.

11/15/2022

Your PTSD Tip for the Day
Tip # 8 – Studies have shown that PTSD actually does affect the functions of the brains in multiple ways. The three areas of the brain that are impacted the most are the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. These area's all play a part in regulating emotions and responding to fear. The Amygdala processes fear, triggers anger, and motivates us to act. It alerts us to danger and activates the ‘fight or flight’ response. The Hippocampus is located next to the Amygdala. It is the most impacted region of the brain after a traumatic event. It is the part of the brain known to be important in maintaining the body's physiology, including regulating body temperature, sleep cycles, heart rate, blood pressure, thirst and appetite. The Prefrontal Cortex is located in the frontal lobe at the bottom of the cerebral hemispheres and is implicated in the processing of risk and fear. It numbs a person’s emotions during the traumatic event. When you develop PTSD, numbed emotions become a permanent condition.

11/08/2022

TIP # 7:
P TSD is not a behavior, or a personality trait. It is a function in the brain that is automatically activated, Lee activated, by the brain, without the person's consent. This part of the brain is automatically activated when the person is faced with a traumatic event that may harm them. It's purpose is to protect the person from an immediate physical, emotional, or mental danger. When a trauma occurs, the Reptilian part of the brain takes over. This is the brain stamp, or the earliest developed part of the brain. It kicks in the "fight or flight" response.When a traumatic threat or event occurs, all the non essential body and mind functions are shut down. Then the Parasympathetic, Nervous system down-shifts and takes over the higher functions of the brain.. This function is meant to last only as long as the threat is present. When the threat is gone, the brain goes back to its normal functioning. 1 to 2 months after a traumatic event the person can develop post traumatic stress disorder as permanent coping as permanent coping mechanism. Then the brain will stay in the "fight or flight" mode as long as the brain thinks the person is still threatened.