Feeling stressed after a traumatic event is normal, but a global post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) expert says there are clear signs that it may be time to seek a diagnosis.
Professor Alain Brunet, director of the National PTSD Research Centre at the University of the Sunshine Coast’s Thompson Institute, says while stress reactions are common, the key factor is how long they last.
“People should give themselves time to bounce back, and it’s normal to experience symptoms such as nightmares, intrusive thoughts, startling easily, difficulty concentrating, emotional withdrawal, avoidance or hypervigilance, even flashbacks,” Professor Brunet said.
“These are all normal responses, but the duration is what we need to watch. If after several weeks these symptoms are still occurring, this is when people should consider seeking further expert support.”
Professor Brunet, a global leader in PTSD who has developed a promising new treatment called Reconsolidation Therapy, said a good first stop was a free pre-diagnostic screening tool to help people determine if they meet the threshold to pursue a diagnosis.
“This tool uses questions about your experiences and symptoms to assess your likelihood that you have PTSD, and is entirely confidential,” Professor Brunet said.
“Of course, any mental health diagnosis will still need to occur with a qualified health professional such as your GP, but this screener could be the difference between someone ignoring their symptoms, or realising they might need help.
“PTSD diagnoses are on the rise in Australia, exacerbated by floods, bushfires and other climate change-related weather events, and of course terrible events like what happened at Bondi,” Professor Brunet said.
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Anyone affected by such events need to take their time to process a traumatic event before gradually resuming normal activities, he said.
“The great majority of people will return to normal functioning in good time, which is why it is important to ensure safety has returned, properly acknowledge what has occurred, comfort each other and check in with our loved ones, and participate in collective rituals such as memorial services and laying flowers, which are all important steps towards healing.”
The National PTSD Research Centre at UniSC’s Thompson Institute is home to world-class research, clinical trials and community outreach.
The centre also offers helpful resources for people experiencing trauma, and is currently running clinical trials for Reconsolidation Therapy, a promising new treatment for PTSD.
Professor Brunet said the therapy is exciting for clinicians because there’s no current cure for PTSD, however this treatment can be effective in as little as six sessions. It has already been taught to clinicians dealing with the effects of war in Ukraine.
One study resulted in about 70 to 84 percent of study participants reporting meaningful improvement in symptoms after six 25-minute therapy sessions.
