PTSD Symptoms in Women
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can affect anyone. However, its manifestation and impact can vary significantly between genders. PTSD can tend to look different in women and women can either be misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed for that reason.
Understanding PTSD in Women
PTSD can develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, such as a natural disaster or a rape. Typically, it is characterized by intrusive memories, avoidance, changes in mood and cognition, and hyperarousal symptoms.
While PTSD can affect anyone, research indicates that women are twice as likely as men to develop this disorder.
Defining PTSD and Its Prevalence Among Women
PTSD is defined by the American Psychiatric Association as a trauma and stressor-related disorder. According to the Office on Women’s Health, “PTSD happens when people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event continue to experience symptoms for more than a month.” They go on to define traumatic events as “physical or sexual assault, war, natural disasters, car accidents, or any event experienced as deeply scary and upsetting. Although PTSD is often associated with military service members, PTSD may develop after any type of traumatic event.”
It is thought that 10% of women develop PTSD at some point in their life, and that may not reflect the true number.
The Unique Manifestation of PTSD Symptoms in Women
PTSD symptoms in women can manifest differently than in men. While men and women experience the same core symptoms, women may experience them more intensely and frequently compared to men.
The primary symptoms of PTSD include:
Re-experiencing the trauma
Avoidance and numbing
Hyperarousal
Cognitive and emotional symptoms
Re-experiencing Trauma
Re-experiencing symptoms involve reliving the traumatic event. Women with PTSD may have recurrent, intrusive, and distressing memories of the event. They may also experience nightmares and flashbacks, where they feel as if the event is happening again.
Avoidance and Numbing
Avoidance symptoms involve efforts to avoid thoughts, feelings, or conversations related to the traumatic event. Women may also avoid activities, places, or people that remind them of the trauma. Numbing symptoms, on the other hand, involve a loss of interest in activities they once enjoyed and feeling detached from others. In some women, these symptoms may be mistaken for depression or social phobia, when they are in fact related to PTSD.
Hyperarousal Symptoms
Hyperarousal symptoms are constant symptoms of increased arousal not present before the trauma. These can include difficulty sleeping, irritability, outbursts of anger, difficulty concentrating, and being easily startled. Women with PTSD may also experience a heightened response to everyday stress. In some women, these symptoms may be mistaken for anxiety when they are, in fact, related to PTSD.
Cognitive and Emotional Symptoms
Cognitive and emotional symptoms can include persistent and exaggerated negative beliefs about oneself, others, or the world. Women may also feel persistent fear, horror, anger, guilt, or shame in addition to having difficulty experiencing positive emotions and feeling emotionally numb.
Hormonal Influences and Societal Factors
The manifestation of PTSD symptoms in women is influenced by both biological and societal factors. Hormonal fluctuations, particularly those related to estrogen, can modulate the severity of symptoms. Societal and cultural factors also play a significant role in how PTSD is recognized and treated in women.
The Role of Estrogen in PTSD
Estrogen, a primary female sex hormone, has been found to influence the body's stress response. Fluctuations in estrogen levels throughout a woman's menstrual cycle can impact the severity of PTSD symptoms; during periods of low estrogen, for example, women may experience heightened PTSD symptoms.
Societal and Cultural Impacts on PTSD Recognition
Societal and cultural factors can also impact the recognition and treatment of PTSD in women. Gender stereotypes and biases can lead to misdiagnosis or underdiagnosis, for instance, with women being diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder or Bipolar Disorder when they, in fact, have PTSD. Additionally, societal norms and expectations can influence how women express their symptoms and seek help. While men may be more likely to act out, women can tend to “act in,” and symptoms associated with anxiety and depression may actually be masking PTSD.
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding the unique manifestations of PTSD symptoms in women is crucial for effective diagnosis and treatment. The video below provides some more context and information regarding how to identify PTSD.