PTSD and other Mental Health ConditionsĮvery stressful or traumatic life event will cause most people to experiencing heightened emotional reactions as the brain tries to process such a significant event. CPTSD is also associated with emotional instability. Someone with complex PTSD and trauma will experience very similar symptoms to someone with PTSD, but will also experience feelings of distrust and disconnection. Sometimes referred to as CPTSD, complex PTSD refers to protracted trauma experienced when growing up, which means the symptoms are more ‘deep seated’ than other forms of PTSD. These experiences can be interspersed with more general negative thoughts about the event, where you may internally question why your life has been affected so dramatically and if you could have done anything to stop it. Whichever form involuntarily reliving the traumatic event takes, it will often feel intensely vivid and closely mimic the initial physical and emotional responses felt when your trauma initially took place. The most widely reported symptom of PTSD and arguably the most distressing includes re-experiencing the initial source of trauma, which can appear in the form of flashbacks, nightmares, thoughts and physical sensations causing sweating and trembling. Withdrawal from work and social interactions.Avoidance of activities that could trigger memories of the event.Avoidance of dealing with grief, anger and anxiety.

Suffering painful emotions such as guilt, anger and anxiety.

Reliving the experience through nightmares and flashbacks.

The symptoms most commonly experienced by those with PTSD include: While the specific symptoms of PTSD vary from person to person, living with the condition can have a significant effect on your ability to function in everyday life, particularly when you have persistent and extreme symptoms. Symptoms of PTSD are both psychological and physical and usually developing within first month of the traumatic event, although they can appear up to a year later.

Those in the military are particularly susceptible to this condition due the frequency of their traumatic experiences. Individuals diagnosed with a life-threatening illness.Survivors of industrial or road traffic accidents and disasters.Victims of war, torture, state sanctioned violence, terrorism and refugees.physical and sexual assaults, sexual abuse, bombings, riots) When the phrase PTSD was originally used to describe symptoms of trauma arising primarily from combat exposure but has since been extended to encompass any group of people exposed to traumatic events. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a type of anxiety disorder believed to affect around one in three people after a traumatic experience. Page medically reviewed by Dr Leon Rozewicz (MBBS, FRCPsych, MRCGP, MRCPsych), Consultant Psychiatrist and Medical Director of Priory Hospital North London What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?

Symptoms of trauma