Tell Me More About Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
1. What are the symptoms of PSTD?
The symptoms of PTSD usually begin within a month after a traumatic event. On rare occasions, symptoms may not appear for months or years. Three typical symptoms include: 1) re-experiencing the traumatic event, 2) avoiding places or circumstances similar to the event or becoming mentally numb to similar events, and 3) becoming persistently aroused because of thoughts of the event.
Re-experiences can take the form of intense images or thoughts or flashbacks (intense visual images) or nightmares of the traumatic event. Re-experiences can occur day or night and can be triggered by any reminder, e.g. TV or print images. Characteristically, intense emotional and physical distress accompanies a re-experience. It resembles a panic attack.
Avoidance and numbing include the urge to stay away physically and psychologically from the trauma scene and from any reminders of the event. At times the avoidance blocks out memory of significant parts of the traumatic event (but rarely blots out the entire trauma). Numbing is characterized by feelings of detachment. Often people experiencing PTSD believe they do not have long to live.
The symptoms of excessive arousal include severe anxiety, disturbed sleep, irritability, poor concentration, being on edge and jumpy.
It is also very common for people with PTSD to experience feelings of sadness and depression. Fortunately, many treatments that are effective for PTSD also work to alleviate depression.
References:
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th Edition Text Revision. 2000 American Psychiatric Association, Washington DC.
Foa EB , Keane TM and Friedman MJ eds. (2000) Effective Treatments for PTSD. Guilford Press. NY (Chapter 2). |
