PTSD

PTSD symptoms can start within one month of a traumatic event, but sometimes symptoms don’t appear until years after its occurrence. These symptoms can interfere with the person’s daily tasks and cause significant problems in social or work situations and relationships.

PTSD symptoms are grouped into four types: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative thoughts and feelings, and physical and emotional reactions.

Intrusive memories include:

• Recurrent, unwanted distressing memories of the traumatic event
• Distressing dreams
• Flashbacks of the traumatic event
• Severe emotional distress or physical reactions to something that may remind one of the traumatic event

Some people may resist talking about what happened or how they feel about the traumatic event. Avoiding reminders of the traumatic event may include avoiding people, places, activities, objects, and situations that bring on distressing memories.

Symptoms of negative changes in thoughts and feelings may include:

• Negative thoughts about oneself, other people, or the world
• Hopelessness about the future
• Memory problems
• Difficulty maintaining close relationships
• Lack of interest in activities the person once enjoyed
• Feeling emotionally numb

Symptoms of physical and emotional reactions (also known as arousal symptoms) may include:

• Being easily startled or frightened
• Always being on guard for danger
• Trouble sleeping
• Trouble concentrating
• Overwhelming guilt or shame
• Self-destructive behavior

PTSD can develop when one goes through, sees, or learns about a traumatic event involving an actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violation. While it is unknown why some people get PTSD, as with most mental health problems, PTSD can be caused by a complex mix of:

• Stressful experiences
• Inherited mental health risks
• Inherited features of the person’s personality
• The way the person’s brain regulates the chemicals and hormones that the body releases in response to stress