PTSD: Know the Signs

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma are often spoken about in casual settings to describe the general anxieties of life. But true PTSD is not merely a case of feeling anxious or stressed — it involves enduring trauma that fundamentally alters an individual’s psyche. It encompasses haunting flashbacks, crippling anxiety, and a profound sense of disconnection from oneself and others. Those who experience PTSD often grapple with symptoms that can last decades, and trauma is a risk factor in nearly all behavioral health and substance use disorders.

Symptoms of PTSD

Reaction to trauma may vary but typical symptoms include:

• Nightmares
• Reliving the event or “flashbacks”
• Unpleasant, uncontrollable thoughts
• Feelings of sadness, guilt or worry
• Irritability
• Problems falling or staying asleep
• Avoiding reminders of the event
• Feeling alone or isolated
• Angry outbursts
• Feelings of wanting to hurt yourself
• Feelings of wanting to hurt others

Children may show additional or different symptoms:

• Withdrawal-type symptoms
• Refusing to speak
• Refusing to leave the house
• Refusing to play with friends
• Acting younger than their age
• Stomachaches or headaches

Although such symptoms may seem unhealthy, they are reasonable responses to having experienced a traumatic event.