Women are at a high risk for traumatic experiences that can lead to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder. Abuse perpetrated by men or witnessed in the home can all lead to PTSD. But what does PTSD look like in a woman compared to a man?
Understanding how this condition is different in women versus men makes it easier to recognize symptoms in clients or the community and provide the right type of help.
What Does PTSD Look Like in a Woman?
For all individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder, the core symptoms are the same.
Flashbacks
Individuals are likely to experience flashbacks. These flashbacks that happen during the day are unexpected events or circumstances or even things like smells and sounds that trigger feelings of being back in the trauma. These situations can cause physical symptoms like sweating, racing heartbeat, and panic attacks.
Nightmares
A subset of flashbacks are nightmares, which happen while individuals attempt to sleep. These work very similarly to flashbacks, where an individual feels like they are back in that traumatic time. This can lead to severe sleeping problems as well as the risk of substance abuse as individuals turn to drugs or alcohol to get better sleep.
Avoidance
Men and women are likely to practice avoidance techniques where they avoid any event, location, or even activity that might remind them of the traumatic event. Someone who is in a serious car accident might avoid driving or even being in a car. They might go out of their way to avoid driving in an area where the accident happened.
Negative Thoughts
It’s not uncommon for men and women to struggle with negative thoughts both during the day and at night. These thoughts can include things like:
- Numbness
- Depression
- Guilt
- Anger
- Shame
- Emptiness
These negative thoughts can be so strong that they disrupt your ability to stay focused, reducing any interest or happiness you might find in previously enjoyable activities. This can have a severe impact on socialization in particular.
Nerves
Individuals with PTSD deal with what is called hyperarousal. Under normal circumstances, the body regulates the amount of adrenaline in relation to fearful or dangerous situations, but someone with PTSD might struggle with higher than normal resting levels of adrenaline, leaving them feeling jittery, tense, or on edge at all times.
Hypervigilance
Hypervigilance is another symptom of PTSD in men and women, where individuals are constantly anxious and jittery, being hypervigilant or on the lookout for the next set of trauma or danger. This can make it difficult to concentrate on everyday tasks like school or work or to feel safe even when relaxing at home.
PTSD in Women
For women, there are a few areas where symptoms are noticeably worse.
- Women are more likely to struggle with emotional numbness, where they block out all emotion
- Women are more likely to be startled if you approach them without warning, come around the corner, or enter the same room as them
- Women are more likely to use avoidance tactics compared to men
- Women are more likely to experience high levels of anxiety and depression
While women generally exhibit higher levels of negative thoughts, hypervigilance, and avoidance techniques, all symptoms can manifest in a woman with PTSD.
Treating PTSD in Women
If you are looking to open a new healthcare facility or you currently run a mental health treatment center, you might find that offering programs specifically for women struggling with PTSD could help your community and your company.
In these cases, C4 Consulting can provide assistance with startup planning for new branches, offices, or services. Our team can also provide specialized healthcare consultations for financial planning to support gender-based PTSD services or staffing consultations to make sure that you find qualified trauma-based therapists who can avoid retraumatization with individualized care.
We also offer behavioral health marketing programs for those established companies that need to improve marketing in the local area so that women can connect with PTSD-based programs.
Symptoms of PTSD look slightly different in women than they do in men, and yet women are more likely to struggle with traumatic experiences leading to PTSD. With the right consultations, your company can provide services that help women in your local area get the care they need.
Contact our team today to learn more about our healthcare consultations.
