Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that can occur after exposure to a traumatic event such as actual or threatened death, serious injury or violence.

You can be exposed to traumatic events directly, or by witnessing or responding to the event, or learning that a relative or close friend/colleague was exposed, or through repeated exposure to details of the traumatic event and thoughts or memories of these events can seriously affect your life long after the event.

You may be at risk for PTSD if  you have been exposed to a  traumatic event, and you have experienced symptoms of intrusion, hyper-arousal, avoidance, or negative cognitions and mood, and symptoms last for more than 1 month, and symptoms create distress or impact your life.

PTSD Symptoms

  • INTRUSION SYMPTOMS

    You persistently re-experience the traumatic event through:

    􀀀 recurring, unwanted distressing memories

    􀀀 flashbacks/reliving the event as if it were happening again

    􀀀 nightmares/upsetting dreams about the event

    􀀀 severe emotional distress or physical reactions (heart racing, hands sweating) to something that reminds you of the event

    HYPER-AROUSAL SYMPTOMS

    You experience new or increased arousal and reactivity, such as:

    􀀀 irritability or aggression

    􀀀 risky or destructive behavior

    􀀀 hyper-vigilance

    􀀀 heightened startle reaction

    􀀀 difficulty concentrating

    􀀀 difficulty sleeping

Ref.:

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed. Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Association, 2013

  • AVOIDANCE

    You avoid trauma related stimuli after the trauma by:

    􀀀 trying to avoid thinking about the event

    􀀀 avoiding places, objects, activities or people that remind you of the trauma

  • NEGATIVE COGNITIONS AND MOOD

    You develop negative thoughts or feelings that began or worsened after the trauma, such as:

    􀀀 inability to recall key features of the traumatic event

    􀀀 overly negative thoughts and assumptions about oneself or the world

    􀀀 exaggerated blame of self or others for causing the trauma

    􀀀 negative affect

    􀀀 decreased interest in activities

    􀀀 feeling isolated

    􀀀 difficulty experiencing positive affect