Post Traumatic stress disorder is a set of reactions that can occur after someone has been through a traumatic incident. Most people who go through traumatic incidents may have temporary difficulty adjusting and coping. But with time and good self-care, they usually get better. Sometimes, the symptoms get worse, last for months or even years. People with PTSD experience severe anxiety and fear.
PTSD is when these feelings don’t go away and it can last for months or even years, this is when it becomes a problem as we don’t need to keep thinking about the event constantly as it can have a serious impact on our lives.
What causes Post-traumatic stress disorder?
The situations we find traumatic can vary from person to person. There are many different harmful or life-threatening events that might cause someone to develop PTSD. For example:
- Being involved in a car crash
- Sexually assaulted
- Harassed
- Being kidnapped
- Experiencing violence
- Seeing other people hurt or killed
- Surviving a natural disaster, such as flooding, earthquakes, or pandemics, such as the coronavirus pandemic
- Losing someone close to you
- Being diagnosed with a life-threatening condition.
The most common symptoms of Post-traumatic stress disorder:
Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms may start within one month of a traumatic event. But sometimes symptoms may not appear until years after the event. These symptoms cause significant problems in social or work situations and relationships. They can also interfere with your ability to go about your normal daily tasks.
Symptoms:
- Intrusive Thoughts
- Nightmares
- Avoiding Reminders of the Event
- Memory Loss
- Negative Thoughts About Self and the World
- Self-Isolation; Feeling Distant
- Anger and Irritability
- Reduced Interest in Favorite Activities
- Hypervigilance
- Difficulty Concentrating
- Insomnia
- Vivid Flashbacks
- Avoiding People, Places and Things Related to the Event
- Casting Blame
- Difficulty Feeling Positive Emotions
- Exaggerated Startle Response
- Risky Behaviors
Physical and emotional Signs and Symptoms:
- Being easily frightened
- Always being on guard for danger
- Self-destructive behavior
- Trouble sleeping
- Trouble concentrating
- Irritability or aggressive behavior
- Overwhelming guilt
Signs and symptoms of mind:
- Negative thoughts
- Hopelessness about everything
- Memory problems
- Difficulty maintaining close relationships
- Lack of interest
- Difficulty experiencing positive emotions
- Feeling emotionally numb
Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in children:
In children, the symptoms of PTSD can differ from those of adults and may include:
- Fear of being separated from their parent.
- Losing previously-acquired skills
- Sleep problems and nightmares.
- Aches and pains with no apparent cause.
- Irritability and aggression.