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Symptoms |
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What
are the symptoms of PTSD?
People
respond in different ways to extreme trauma. Many people who
experience extreme trauma do not develop PTSD. However, for
those who do, PTSD symptoms usually appear within several
weeks of the trauma, but some people don’t experience
symptoms until months or even years later.
Three
categories – or "clusters" – of symptoms
are associated with PTSD.
Clusters
- Re-living
the event through recurring nightmares or other intrusive
images that occur at any time. People who suffer from PTSD
also have extreme emotional or physical reactions such as
chills, heart palpitations or panic when faced with reminders
of the event.
- Avoiding
reminders of the event, including places, people, thoughts
or other activities associated with the trauma. PTSD sufferers
may feel emotionally detached, withdraw from friends and
family, and lose interest in everyday activities.
- Being
on guard
or being hyper-aroused at all times, including feeling irritability
or sudden anger, having difficulty sleeping or concentrating,
or being overly alert or easily startled.
People
with PTSD may have low self-esteem or relationship problems
or may seem disconnected from their lives. Other problems
that may mask or intensify symptoms include:
- Psychiatric
problems such as depression, dissociation (losing conscious
awareness of the “here and now”) or another anxiety
disorder like panic disorder.
- Self-destructive
behavior including:
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Alcohol
or drug abuse |
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Suicidal
impulses |
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High-risk
sexual behaviors that may result in unintended pregnancy
or sexually transmitted diseases (STD), including HIV |
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Other
high-risk behavior that may be life-endangering, such
as fast or reckless driving |
- Physical
complaints, any or all of which may be accompanied by depression,
including:
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Chronic
pain with no medical basis (frequently gynecological problems
in women) |
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Stress-related
conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia |
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Stomach
pain or other digestive problems such as irritable bowel
syndrome or alternating bouts of diarrhea and constipation |
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Eating
disorders |
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Breathing
problems or asthma |
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Headaches |
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Muscle
cramps or aches such as low back pain |
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Cardiovascular
problems |
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Sleep
disorders |
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The
PTSD Alliance is supported by Beachway Therapy Center, a Florida based addiction treatment center.
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