The Trauma You Learn to Live With

Living with PTSD

‍
A PTSD diagnosis doesn’t always come after a single, obvious event — and its symptoms don’t always show up the way people expect. 

Maybe it’s the constant tension in your shoulders. The way you startle at small sounds. The urge to keep others at arm’s length, or the deep, familiar exhaustion that never seems to lift.

For many people diagnosed with PTSD, these patterns — hypervigilance, avoidance, dissociation, emotional numbing — become everyday coping mechanisms. They feel normal. Habitual. Just part of surviving.

But recognising them for what they are is an important step. Because PTSD isn’t a personal failing — it’s a well-established medical condition, and support is possible.

Why PTSD Symptoms Aren’t Always Obvious (And Why They’re Often Overlooked)

While PTSD is often associated with dramatic symptoms like flashbacks or panic attacks, many people also experience it in subtle ways — through persistent tension, detachment, or emotional flatness. These subtler symptoms can be harder to recognise and, even with treatment, may linger beneath the surface.

It’s not uncommon for people to live with PTSD for years before receiving a diagnosis. And even then, it may not feel like the label quite “fits” — especially when the trauma was complex, ongoing, or difficult to name.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 17.2% of Australians aged 16–85 experience an anxiety disorder each year — and PTSD falls within this broad category (ABS, 2022). Yet stigma, limited access to trauma-informed care, and systemic gaps in recognition mean many go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.

Women, First Nations people, neurodivergent individuals, and those with complex or interpersonal trauma are especially likely to be overlooked — a pattern reflected across clinical observations and growing research (Phoenix Australia; CPTSD Foundation; KD Holmes LPC).

PTSD is frequently mistaken for generalised anxiety, depression, or even personality disorders — particularly when symptoms present subtly, or the traumatic events aren’t disclosed.

Ongoing symptoms don’t always look like a crisis. They can show up as chronic tension, emotional detachment, social withdrawal, low motivation, irritability, or difficulty concentrating. Over time, they become so familiar they’re often mistaken for personality traits: “This is just how I am.”

But these patterns can be the imprint of past trauma — signs of a nervous system that never fully came down from survival mode. That’s why deeper understanding matters — not just at diagnosis, but after. Because while naming your experience is an important first step, finding the right support is what makes long-term healing possible.

The Invisible Weight — When Coping With PTSD Becomes a Full-Time Job

For many people living with PTSD, daily life can feel like a balancing act — managing triggers, conserving energy, and trying to hold it together while the world keeps moving. Whether you’re holding down a job, managing a household, or just getting through the day, the effort it takes to cope often goes unseen.

You might rely on routines to keep things predictable, or avoid certain environments to minimise overwhelm. You might feel numb, shut down, or constantly on edge — even if you’re currently taking medication for PTSD or engaging in therapy. And if treatment hasn’t brought the relief you hoped for, it can be easy to question whether things will ever feel different.

Some coping strategies become so ingrained they feel like part of who you are. Others might stop working altogether, leaving you exhausted, disconnected, or stuck. This doesn’t mean you’ve failed — it means your brain and body have adapted to trauma in the only ways they knew how.

Over time, repeated stress or traumatic experiences can rewire the brain’s threat-response systems, reinforcing patterns like hypervigilance, avoidance, or emotional numbing. These are survival responses — not personal flaws — and they can persist even long after the original threat has passed.

The ongoing strain of living in survival mode can wear down your capacity to rest, connect, or feel joy. You might find yourself pulling away from people or activities you used to love — not because you want to, but because it feels safer.

If you’re feeling flat, disconnected, or like you’re just getting through the day, it doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means your nervous system has been doing its best to protect you — and you deserve care that meets you where you are, whether you’re coping okay or just holding on.

Why Ongoing Care Can Feel So Hard After a PTSD Diagnosis 

Having a PTSD diagnosis unfortunately isn’t a silver bullet to better mental health. And for many, engaging with treatment — or staying engaged — can be incredibly challenging.

Sometimes medications can ease certain symptoms — like sleep disturbance or anxiety — but don’t address the deeper emotional or physiological impacts of trauma.Therapy can help, but not all approaches are effective for PTSD, and it may take time to find a new treatment, an additional option that works alongside what you’re already trying, or a therapist who feels like the right fit. For many, the hardest part is starting over: re-telling traumatic experiences, navigating trust, and hoping that this time, it will lead somewhere different.

Access still plays a role, too. The latest ABS data shows that only 17.4% of Australians aged 16–85 saw a mental health professional in the past year (ABS, 2022). Long waitlists, high costs, and limited services — especially in regional areas — can make follow-up care feel out of reach.

But beyond the practical barriers, there’s something deeper. When you’ve already tried — already opened up, already trusted the process — and still feel stuck, the idea of trying again can feel exhausting. It might even feel pointless.

You might find yourself thinking: “Maybe this is just how I am now.” Or, “It’s not bad enough to ask for more help.” Or simply, “Nothing seems to work.”

This is where trauma-informed care, like what we offer at Polln, can make a difference. Not by offering quick fixes, but by creating a safe, collaborative space where you’re met with empathy, not judgment. Our goal is to support you in finding care that feels sustainable, respectful, and aligned with your needs

What Safe Support Should Feel Like

For people living with PTSD, seeking support isn’t just about booking another appointment. It’s about emotional safety — knowing that you’ll be heard, respected, and not pushed beyond what feels manageable.

Trauma-informed care isn’t a buzzword or a separate service. It’s a set of principles that shape how doctors work with people who carry trauma — especially those who’ve already been through treatment that didn’t feel supportive, safe, or effective.

At its core, trauma-informed care means:

• Feeling physically and emotionally safe in the process
• Being given clear information, choice, and consent at every stage
• Never being pressured to retell your trauma before you’re ready
• Being treated with respect — not doubt or dismissal
• Having a say in how your care is structured

It doesn’t ask you to relive it again — it says: “We know you’ve already carried a lot. What’s worked? What hasn’t? And how can we support you better?”

When you’ve already been managing PTSD, sometimes the most powerful shift comes from care that doesn’t start over — but starts with you.

How Polln doctors are improving PTSD care 

At Polln, we know that living with PTSD isn’t just about managing symptoms — it’s about navigating a system that often overlooks the very people it’s meant to support. That’s why we take a trauma-informed, patient-led approach to care.

Our doctors understand that no two trauma histories are the same, and that what works for one person might not work for another. Whether you’re exploring new treatment options, reassessing your current plan, or simply looking for care that supports you without judgment, pressure, or assumptions.

Through secure online appointments, Polln offers support that listens first, adapts with you, and helps you explore potential treatment options that feel right for your needs.

You Don’t Have to Carry This Alone

Living with PTSD is rarely a straightforward journey. Even after diagnosis, support can feel fragmented, insufficient, or out of step with what you actually need. Treatments may help in some areas while leaving others untouched. Coping can become the priority — not healing. But understanding why this happens isn’t a personal failing; it reflects how trauma reshapes the nervous system, and how care systems don’t always keep pace.

Trauma-informed approaches, like those practiced at Polln, aim to change that — by recognising the complexity of trauma, respecting lived experience, and creating space for support that evolves with you.

Additional Support Resources

If you're looking for support, here are a few places that offer information, guidance, and care:

• Phoenix Australia: Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health
• Beyond Blue: Mental health support and resources
• 1800RESPECT: National domestic, family and sexual violence counselling service
• Open Arms: Free mental health support for veterans and their families