Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Alternate Names : PTSD, Posttraumatic Stress Syndrome
What are the signs and symptoms of the condition?
Symptoms of PTSD fall into three main categories.
The first is reliving the event in one or more of the following ways:
flashbacks, or reliving events as if they are occurring right now
hallucinations, which means seeing or hearing things that are not real
illusions, or misinterpretation of things that are seen or heard
memories of the event
physical sensations that recall the event
recurrent dreams of the event
severe emotional responses to new events similar to the traumatic event
The second category involves a tendency to avoid reminders of the event. This tendency can cause the following symptoms:
avoidance of activities, places, or people that might bring the event to mind
avoidance of thoughts, feelings, or talking about the event
difficulty maintaining healthy family, social, or job relationships
feelings of detachment or emotional distance from others
loss of interest in daily activities
a sense of a shortened future
survivor guilt, or feeling guilty about surviving when others did not
trouble recalling key parts of the event
The third category involves a higher level of arousal and anxiety than before the trauma. This level can cause the following symptoms:
agitation, or feelings of restlessness
alcoholism and drug abuse
chest pain
difficulty concentrating
dizziness
an exaggerated startle response
excessive sweating
headache
irritability
memory loss
nausea
persistent anxiety
sleep disorders
suicide attempts or acting out
trouble managing anger
|
Previous section
