PTSD Symptoms
True or False: The P in PTSD stands for "psychological."
False; it stands for "Post"
Multiple Choice: People with PTSD are:
A. Less likely to develop substance use problems
B. More likely to develop substance use problems
C. No more likely than anyone else
D. Guaranteed to develop substance use problems
Answer: B. More likely to develop substance use problems.
Some people use alcohol or drugs to try to cope with difficult PTSD symptoms, but substance use often makes those symptoms worse over time.
Myth or Fact: About 90% of people who experience a traumatic event develop PTSD.
Answer: Myth. Only 20-30% do.
Most people experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime, but most do not develop PTSD. Many people recover naturally with support, healthy coping skills, and time.
True or False: Anger is a symptom of PTSD.
True; Some people with PTSD may feel angry, frustrated, or have trouble controlling their emotions.
Myth or Fact: A person must become completely substance-free before they can start working on trauma or PTSD in therapy.
Answer: Myth.
Working on PTSD and substance use at the same time can be helpful because each one can make the other worse. As people learn healthier ways to cope with trauma, they may feel less need to use substances, and reducing substance use can make it easier to manage PTSD symptoms and participate in treatment.
Myth or Fact: People never recover from PTSD. They just get better at dealing with it.
Answer: Myth.
Many people recover from PTSD and no longer meet the criteria for the disorder. While some people may continue to have occasional symptoms, treatment can help people heal, regain a sense of safety, and live full lives.
Which of the following can be a symptom of PTSD:
A. Nightmares
B. Flashbacks
C. Feeling constantly on guard
D. All of the Above
D. All of the above.
-PTSD affects everyone differently and can affect a person's thoughts, emotions, body, and behavior. That leads to many different combinations of symptoms.
Multiple Choice: How can substance use increase a person's risk of experiencing trauma?
A. It can lead to risky situations or unsafe decisions.
B. It makes bad things impossible to happen.
C. It guarantees a person will experience trauma.
D. It prevents stressful events from affecting people.
Answer: A. It can lead to risky situations or unsafe decisions.
Substance use can sometimes make people more vulnerable to accidents, violence, or other situations where trauma may occur.
Multiple Choice: What does "Complex PTSD" or "complex trauma" usually mean?
A. The trauma is complicated and difficult to explain.
B. The trauma is extremely rare.
C. The person experienced repeated or ongoing traumatic events over time.
D. The trauma happened in more than one location.
Answer: C. The person experienced repeated or ongoing traumatic events over time.
Complex trauma often involves repeated experiences, such as ongoing abuse, neglect, or exposure to violence, especially during childhood.
Fact or Myth: People with PTSD always remember every detail of their traumatic experience.
Myth.
It is common for people with PTSD to have gaps in memory about a traumatic event. Not remembering every detail doesn't mean the trauma did not happen.
Multiple Choice: For many people who have both PTSD and substance use problems, which usually comes first?
A. PTSD develops first, and substance use follows as a way to cope.
B. Substance use always develops first.
C. Both always start on the same day.
D. There is no relationship between the two.
Answer: A. PTSD develops first, and substance use follows as a way to cope.
Many people begin using substances to try to manage symptoms such as anxiety, nightmares, painful memories, or sleep problems.
Myth or Fact: You have to tell your entire trauma story in detail in order to recover from PTSD.
Answer: Myth.
Recovery from PTSD does not always require sharing every detail of a traumatic experience. Many treatments focus on building coping skills, managing symptoms, and helping people feel safe and in control.
Multiple Choice: Which statement about PTSD is true?
A. PTSD can only happen if something traumatic happens directly to you.
B. PTSD only develops in people who were physically hurt/injured.
C. PTSD can sometimes develop after witnessing someone else experience trauma or serious injury.
D. PTSD only affects military veterans.
Answer: C. PTSD can sometimes develop after witnessing someone else experience trauma or serious injury.
PTSD can develop after experiencing a traumatic event yourself, witnessing it happen to someone else, or learning that a traumatic event happened to a close friend or family member.
Short Answer: What is "self-medication" in relation to PTSD and substance use?
Answer: Self-medication is when someone uses alcohol or drugs to try to reduce emotional pain, stress, anxiety, or other PTSD symptoms.
Self-medication may provide temporary relief, but it often makes recovery from PTSD more difficult in the long run.
Myth or Fact: If two people experience the same traumatic event, they will have the same reaction to it.
Answer: Myth.
People respond to trauma differently based on factors such as their age, support system, past experiences, and coping skills. There is no "right" or "wrong" way to react to trauma.