A hospital admission. A seizure. A certain time of year. Sometimes your body can react to medical trauma long after the moment itself has passed. But when does that become PTSD, and what does that look like when the trauma is tied to your child’s medical care?
In today’s episode, Amanda Griffith-Atkins joins us to break down the difference between PTSD, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and other trauma responses, plus why things like hypervigilance, avoidance, feeling trapped, and physical reactions to reminders can show up so strongly for medical parents.
We also dig into what makes trauma especially complicated when you have to keep returning to the hospital or facing new medical crises, how treatment options like EMDR and medication can help, and why you don’t need an official PTSD diagnosis for your trauma to deserve attention.
And a big thanks to our sponsor for this episode, themakers of the incredible documentary, The Zebra & The Bear!
Links:
Listen to Ep 185: Medical Parent Trauma.
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Amanda’s Episodes:
85: Should A Child’s Disability be Part of Their Parents’ Identity?
109: Isolating During Holidays
110: Inpatient During Holidays
131: Chronic Stress + Our Bodies
132: When Self-Care Gives Us the Swears
135: Ways Career + Family Roles Can Be Affected by Disability
142: What If My Disabled Child Outlives Me?
147: Sex + Disability Parenting
153: Hurtful Things Loved Ones Say and Do
159: Mental-Load Sharing with Your Partner