Normal Reaction Or Not?

[OKRADLAK]

Is PTSD a normal reaction to a terrible situation or an abnormal reaction to a stressful situation.

Two scenerios-

A man survives a terrible work explosion and develops PTSD.

A girl is raised in a religious sect and develops PTSD.

I have always been confused by the terms about it being a normal reaction.

So take the girl in the sect....most people in the sect do not get PTSD but because she sees through it or something, she has the reaction and understanding that what happened is not how other kids are raised.......

Neither of these pertain to me or anyone I know so I hope I have not triggered anyone!!!

 

[intothelight]

Okradlak,

I am no expert, but it is my understanding that PTSD develops when someone is in a life threatening situation where they actually believe they are going to, or are afraid they are going to die. Because the normal course of life does not usually include events traumatic as to endanger or threaten to endanger life, PTSD is the normal response to an abnormal situation.

At least that is my basic understanding.

 

[sea]

My basic understanding is that PTSD is an abnormal response to trauma (hence the "Disorder" part), but that if traumatized extensively enough PTSD is inevitable?

 

[NIKI]

I believe it is what intothelight wrote, PTS is a normal response to an abnormal situation.

 

[Kintsugi]

I think ITL is right as well. Though on the subject of what Sea said, I've just started learning through my counselor of the basic principals of Somatic Experiencing Therapy. The idea is that wild animals cope with trauma so well because they release their stress through somatic response, and humans do not do this because our rational mind prevents us from physically experiencing the moment in full and in a bodily way, so then we are stuck with the stress of the trauma. I guess you could say that humans react abnormally by comparison! But I do not believe that trauma is experienced in "normal" situations and I think that our reactions are as "normal" as they could be in those abnormal instances.

 

[OKRADLAK]

I still have some questions.Most kids are now bullied. That means it is "normal" experience now, yet the rate of PTSD among survivors is staggering.

Same with a lot of social ills that can be considered "normal" now, yet are still harrowing. What do we call it when someone cannot adjust to those things?

 

[Kintsugi]

I don't know why this is. I am not sure if it is because I had PTSD or because I was just sensitive and under-exposed, but the first time I visited a Holocaust museum (DC, I was 12) it was very traumatic. No one could understand why I wasn't coping. I became catatonic and would not eat.

 

[mamachick]

I believe it is a normal reaction. I have been viewing some research on ptsd following traumatic brain injury. Interestingly, those who are unconscious for a very short time are more likely to develop PTSD than those who are unconscious and even in a coma. That is because the injury is worse and they often do not remember the events leading up to their state of unconciousness.

I was exiting a supermarket 5 years ago when I fell. It was all very much in slow motion-I remember feeling both feet going up in the air in very slow motion and the thoughts that went through my head. (We have all had a potential for a fall and been able to catch ourselves, maybe still getting hurt but minimizing the impact) The thought of trying was there but there was nothing I could do. Landed on my upper back and my head bounced of the concrete floor several of times. I was unconscious only a few minutes. A 47 year old woman fell, a 6 year old woke up.

Upon coming to, I was confused but also had the sense that I would be in trouble with my mother. (I often got punished for childhood accidents) I was babbling and apologizing until the manager told me that an sub contactor left the floor wet without a sign. Even still, I felt like a child. They called my college age daughter and I felt afraid of her too.

They tell me I have ptsd from childhood (which was very dysfunctional and at times scarey). Up until this point I was fully functional, raised 3 daughters by myself while working and getting my masters. Since-my life has turned to crap. This incident was life threatening. I also broke a rib and had a collapsed lung among other injuries, and a week later they called and said I had a blood clot. (negative but poor quality test?)

Honestly, I think that if I would have gotten adequate medical care and a diagnosis promptly, I would have recovered much better.

Back to original point-those who do not remember the life threatening event are less likely to develop ptsd.

 

[PerfectEmpire]

Is PTSD a normal reaction to a terrible situation or an abnormal reaction to a stressful situation.

Why couldn't it be one or the other depending on the person and situation?

For example, consider the potential implications of Asperger's Syndrome (Autism) on developing PTSD.

Also consider that it really depends on how you define "normal" and "abnormal" and "terrible" and "stressful". The definitions for these things are quite fluid! In order to seriously consider the question, you would have to define limits for "normal reaction" "terrible situation" "abnormal reaction" and "stressful situation". Defining these things and proceeding to try to answer the question would be a source of much debate.

And "normal" and "healthy" are not the same thing!!!! So does it really matter? What's the point of defining "normal"? Shouldn't we be focused on health?

Is PTSD a healthy reaction to an unhealthy situation or an unhealthy reaction to a non-health-threatening situation?​

Why not "unhealthy situations create unhealthy people"?! That would make most sense to me. Why not "undesirable situations provoke undesirable results and some people are more prone to suffering than others"? That pretty much sums up how I view PTSD.

 

[mamachick]

I think that is true that normal is not an objective term, it is subjective, as is what might be traumatizing to each individual. Cultural diversity is considered in the diagnosis as well.

Say a pre school age child witnesses family abuse on a regular basis, hears the parent screaming in another room, see's the police take dad away. The child see's this regularly. Based on that age child, they cant really distinguish themselves fully from their caregiver. ( Much different that a 20 yr old boy with no i history of trauma witnessing the same thing. ) This could be the norm in some families. Some will not develop ptsd, some will.

I think there could be a lot of debate. The DSM's are well thought out and cover things really well though. Abnormal reaction to a stressful situation would fall into another catagory-could develop into something such as a phobia or anxiety or behavioral disorder. I do understand what you are saying though. What is stressful to one may be traumatic to another. The question is-would most people find this stressful or traumatic. Getting divorced, starting a new job, moving across the country are things most find stressful. Most would not find these situations in and of itself traumatic.

 

[ronin47]

There are many different ways to get it, so I think it would be a mistake to apply the label of "normal" to the sources of it. But really what it does come down to is believing, very acutely or more subconsciously, that our lives are in danger. I didn't know that kids who are bullied develop PTSD a lot, but it makes sense based on the kinds of stories I've heard. Bullying now includes things like sexual assault and physical attacks. Not to mention threatening to kill someone is a apparently a common bullying "tactic" these days.