When most people hear the word PTSD, they picture a war veteran or someone who’s survived a major disaster. And while PTSD absolutely does affect people in those situations, the reality is far wider — and far more common — than most people realise.
PTSD can develop after any experience that overwhelmed your capacity to cope, whether or not it looks dramatic from the outside.
What PTSD Actually Is
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a condition that can develop after experiencing or witnessing an event that felt threatening, terrifying, or deeply overwhelming. It happens when the brain’s normal process of making sense of and filing away difficult experiences gets disrupted — leaving the trauma stuck in an unprocessed state.
As a result, the nervous system continues to respond as though the threat is still present, long after the event has passed.
What Can Cause PTSD
PTSD can develop after many different kinds of experiences, including:
- Accidents, including motor vehicle accidents
- Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse
- The sudden death of someone close
- Medical emergencies or traumatic birth experiences
- Witnessing violence or harm to others
- Experiences of war, combat, or displacement
- Prolonged exposure to stress, danger, or unsafe environments
What matters isn’t whether an event seems serious enough by some external measure. What matters is the impact it had on you.
Signs of PTSD
PTSD can look very different from person to person, but common experiences include:
- Intrusive memories — flashbacks, nightmares, or vivid unwanted recollections
- Avoidance — steering clear of people, places, or situations that remind you of the event
- Hypervigilance — always feeling on edge, easily startled, unable to relax
- Emotional numbing — feeling detached, flat, or disconnected from your own life
- Negative beliefs — deep feelings of shame, guilt, or a sense that the world is fundamentally unsafe
- Difficulty with relationships — withdrawal, irritability, or trust issues
PTSD Is Treatable
This is the most important thing to know: PTSD responds well to treatment. You do not have to live in survival mode indefinitely. Evidence-based approaches like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) have been shown to significantly reduce or resolve PTSD symptoms — often in fewer sessions than people expect.
Healing from PTSD doesn’t mean forgetting what happened. It means the memory loses its charge, so you can carry it without being controlled by it.
If you’re in Victoria, BC or anywhere in British Columbia, please know that support is available. Book a free consultation with Madeleine Sullivan to take the first step.