mental health disorders
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Symptoms of PTSD
When people with PTSD have symptoms, they typically fall into the following 4 categories: Intrusion symptoms (the event repeatedly and uncontrollably invades their thoughts) Avoidance of anything that reminds them of the event Negative effects on thinking and mood Changes in alertness and reactions The traumatic event may repeatedly reappear in the form of involuntary, unwanted memories or recurrent nightmares. Some people have flashbacks, in which they relive events as if they were actually happening rather than simply being remembered. People may also experience intense reactions to reminders of the event. A combat veteran's symptoms might be triggered by fireworks, for example, whereas those of a robbery victim may be triggered by seeing a gun in a movie. People persistently avoid things—activities, situations, or people—that are reminders of the trauma. For example, they may avoid entering a park or an office building where they were assaulted or avoid speaking to people of the same race as their assailant. They may even attempt to avoid thoughts, feelings, or conversations about the traumatic event. People may be unable to remember significant parts of the traumatic event (called Dissociative Amnesia ). People may feel emotionally numb or disconnected from other people. Depression is common, and people show less interest in previously enjoyed activities. How people think about the event may become distorted, leading them to blame themselves or others for what happened. Feelings of guilt are also common. For example, they may feel guilty that they survived when other people did not. They may feel only negative emotions, such as fear, horror, anger, or shame, and may be unable to feel happy or satisfied or to love. People may have difficulty falling asleep or concentrating. They may become excessively vigilant for warning signs of risk. They may be easily startled. People may become less able to control their reactions, resulting in reckless behavior or angry outbursts. Some people develop ritual activities to help reduce their anxiety. For example, people who were sexually assaulted may bathe repeatedly to try to remove the sense of being unclean. Many people with PTSD try to relieve their symptoms with alcohol or illicit drugs and develop a Substance Use Disorders . A Dissociative Subtype of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder has now been recognized. A person with this disorder has all the symptoms mentioned above, plus depersonalization (feeling detached from one's self or body) and/or derealization (experiencing the world as unreal or dreamlike). 