Mayo Clinic was the source of inspiration for this article.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health illness brought on by watching or experiencing a horrific incident.
Flashbacks, nightmares, and acute anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event, are all possible symptoms.
Most people who experience traumatic events have temporary difficulties adjusting and coping, but they normally get better with time and adequate self-care.
A person may develop PTSD if their symptoms worsen, linger for months or even years, and interfere with their day-to-day functioning.
PTSD Signs and Symptoms
Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder can occur as soon as one month after a stressful experience, but they can also take years to appear.
These symptoms pose serious issues in social and business contexts, as well as in relationships. They can also make it difficult to carry out day-to-day activities.
There are four distinct types of PTSD symptoms:
1. Intrusive Memories
2. Avoidance
3. Negative mental and emotional changes
4. Physical and emotional reactions that change.
Symptoms can change over time or between individuals.
1. Intrusive memories
Symptoms of intrusive memories may include:
Unwanted, upsetting recollections of the traumatic event
Reliving the horrific experience as if it were happening again (flashbacks)
Recurrent nightmares or disturbing dreams regarding the terrible incident
Physical or mental reactions to something that reminds you of the horrific incident.
2. Avoidance
Avoidance refers to attempting to avoid thinking about or discussing the experience.
Avoiding places, activities, or people that remind you of the traumatic occurrence is one example.
3. Negative mental and emotional changes
Negative thoughts about yourself, other people, or the world.
Hopelessness about the future Memory problems, including forgetting important aspects of the traumatic event.
Maintaining tight relationships is difficult.
Distancing yourself from family and friends
Lack of enthusiasm for previously enjoyed activities
Difficulty expressing good emotions
Feeling emotionally depressed.
4. Physical and emotional reactions that change
Physical and emotional changes (sometimes known as arousal symptoms) include:
Being easily frightened or startled
Always on the lookout for danger
Self-destructive conduct, such as binge drinking or speeding
Sleeping problems
Concentration issues
Angry outbursts, irritability, or aggressive behaviour
Guilt or humiliation that is overwhelming
Signs and symptoms for children aged 6 and younger may include:
– Playfully reenacting the traumatic experience or components of the traumatic incident:
When we see children acting sensually, we often assume they learned it from a movie. While this assumption is often correct, there are times when it is not.
A child like this could have been previously molested.
Please pay close attention to your children if you are a parent reading this.
Fearful nightmares that may or may not contain elements of the terrible event etc.
The severity of PTSD symptoms might change over time. When you’re anxious in general, or when you come across reminders of what you went through, you may have more PTSD symptoms. For example, you might hear a car backfire and remember an accident. Alternatively, you can watch a tv program about a sexual attack and be reminded of your own sexual assault.
To be continued.
See you next time,
Lola.
