A nurse seeking help when experiencing PTSD should not be viewed as personal weakness, nor should it be seen as dangerous to one’s career. Some nurses become quickly overwhelmed by distress and leave their jobs, while others stay for decades, seemingly emotionally undaunted. But most nurses’ response to the stress of their work falls somewhere in the middle.

Burned out but functional, they’re unaware of - or deny - the cause of their headaches, gastrointestinal troubles, insomnia, eating disorders, smoking, addictions, and ragged emotions displaced onto partners, colleagues, and patients.

What is PTSD?

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has become a recognized condition by mental health experts. PTSD is an anxiety disorder following an event a person perceived to be physically threatening or life-threatening to them.

Since PTSD can cause health problems, it is of concern to all persons working in health care. Combat trauma, torture, and traumatic events have all been suggested as causes of PTSD. Recent studies suggest that because of their work environment, nurses may also develop PTSD.

Nurses can be quite hard on themselves - going over in their minds what they could have done differently, waking at night worrying about something they forgot to do, or finding themselves in a panic on rising, wondering if they remembered to communicate something important.

These are things we all do. So when does it become PTSD? Generally, the greater the threat, the greater the potential for PTSD; it is particularly common in those who tend to be perfectionists.

What can be done?

The first step is acknowledging the problem. Talking with supportive co-workers is important, because those outside the workplace may have difficulty understanding the traumatic nature of an incident.

Treatments

PTSD is treatable. If you think you may have it, the first step is to see your GP, who will probably refer you for treatment. This often involves psychotherapy, medication or a combination of the two.

• Psychotherapy. Therapists tend to use behavioural therapy, which encourages you to talk about the trauma in detail and cope with the emotions that surround it, and/or cognitive therapy, which helps you to overcome any negative thoughts that you've developed since the trauma (such as, I cant see the point in living).
• Medication. Many people with PTSD also suffer from depression, so anti-depressants are often prescribed to reduce symptoms and make therapy sessions more effective. The length of your treatment depends on the severity of your disorder and how quickly you progress.

If you have been involved in a traumatic event, or know someone who may have been affected by such an event, you or they could be entitled to compensation and funded treatment for any psychological injury.

Remember, we will not add to your stress, we only help to seek COMPENSATION for your condition and to offer professional counselling where necessary. Don’t suffer in silence, get in touch now.

For more information please call 0800 118 5855