Symptoms of PSTD

There are several groups of symptoms associated with PTSD.  They include:

•  Exposure to a traumatic event (What is a traumatic event?)
• Persistent re-experiencing of the traumatic event which might include:
  • recurrent and intrusive distressing recollections of the event
  • recurrent distressing dreams of the event
  • acting or feeling as if the traumatic event were recurring
  • intense psychological distress at exposure to reminders of the event
  • psychological reactivity on exposure to reminders of the event

• Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma and numbing of responsiveness which might include:
• efforts to avoid associated thoughts, feelings or conversations

• efforts to avoid activities, places, individuals that arouse recollections
• inability to recall an important aspect of the trauma
• markedly diminished interest or participation in significant activities
• feeling of detachment or estrangement from others
• inability to have loving feelings
• sense of foreshortened future such as not expecting to have a career, long-term relationships or children

•  Persistent symptoms of increased arousal such as:
  • difficulty falling or staying asleep
  • irritability or outbursts of anger
  • difficulty concentrating
  • hyper-vigilance
  • exaggerated startle response

• Duration of the symptoms is more than a month
• The experience and symptoms cause significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning.