PTSD
Symptoms: Re-Living a Traumatic Event Over and Over Again
If
you have ever been the victim of a violent crime, gone to
war, or experienced an event where you believed there was
a chance you could die, you might be suffering from post
traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. PTSD is an anxiety disorder
that sometimes develops after you are exposed to a horrifying
event. At any given time, PTSD symptoms affect more than
7 million Americans. You don’t have to be the victim
of an event to suffer from PTSD symptoms; sometimes people
get PTSD symptoms after they witness others being harmed.
Whether
PTSD symptoms occur after a mugging, child abuse, car crash,
or hurricane, PTSD is a real disorder that gained public
attention after it was diagnosed in war veterans. The following
are common PTSD symptoms which may last months or even years
after a traumatic event:
- Suddenly
and unexpectedly feeling as if the event is happening
again
- Flashbacks
of the event which may be triggered by images, sounds,
or smells
- Difficulty
sleeping
- Having
nightmares about the event
- Being
afraid of locations that remind you of the event
- Feeling
jumpy, irritable, angry, and easily startled
- Survivor
guilt (feeling guilty because you lived when others did
not)
- Difficulties
in relationships such as trust issues and inability to
get emotionally close to others
- Emotional
numbness and detachment
The
helplessness, horror, and fear that come with PTSD symptoms
may become worse over time instead of better. Another difficulty
with PTSD symptoms is that, even after they diminish, they
can reemerge years later. For example, there have been reports
that PTSD symptoms returned to many former PTSD patients
after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
PTSD
symptoms can be minor or severe, last a few months or become
chronic. PTSD symptoms also can develop in any age group,
including children. It is important to remember that PTSD
symptoms are treatable and should be addressed before they
develop into other illnesses such as substance abuse or
depression.
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