Outbursts of anger, driving aggressively, and abuse of drugs/alcohol might also occur. Difficulty sleeping, feeling edgy, irritability, or being easily startled are other reactivity symptoms. Some people may feel like they are constantly alert and looking out for danger. They may also include avoiding talking about the event, suppressing feelings, or feeling detached. Choosing to stay away from people, activities, or places that remind you of the trauma are all avoidance symptoms. Avoidance symptoms (avoiding things that remind you of the event).A noise, sight, or smell may also cause you to re-live the event (these are called triggers). There are symptoms like nightmares, flashbacks, frightening thoughts, and emotional/physical reactions to bad memories. Re-experiencing symptoms (re-living the event).PTSD symptoms are categorized into four different types. Not everyone has the same symptoms, and people experience symptoms in their own way. Symptoms of PTSD usually appear soon after a traumatic event however, in some cases, they might not appear until weeks, months, or even years later.
Experiencing any situation where you are fearful for your life.Witnessing community violence or acts of unsafe activities in one’s community.Seeing another person being abused, hurt, or killed.Frequently witnessing distressing events (for example, when working in the military or emergency services).Ongoing physical, sexual, or psychological abuse or harassment.Accidents (like road traffic accidents).Natural disasters such as earthquakes or tsunamis.Living through, witnessing, or experiencing war.It could be something you are involved in or witness.Įxamples of traumatic events that may lead to PTSD include: It could be one event or a series of events. They are described as situations that cause fear, helplessness, serious injury, or a threat of injury or death. There is no one exhaustive list of trauma-related stimuli.