Symptoms - Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is caused by very stressful, frightening or distressing events.

Someone with PTSD often relives the traumatic event through nightmares and flashbacks. They may have feelings of isolation, irritability and guilt. They may also have problems sleeping, such as insomnia.

The symptoms of PTSD can be severe. They can have a big impact on your day-to-day life.

Causes of PTSD

Signs of PTSD

You can get PTSD straight after you experience a disturbing event. Or it can happen weeks, months or even years later.

Some people with PTSD have less noticeable symptoms for a long time. This is followed by symptoms being worse for a time. Other people have severe symptoms all of the time.

The symptoms of PTSD are different for everyone.

But they generally fall into these categories:

• re-experiencing
• avoidance and emotional numbing
• hyperarousal (feeling 'on edge')

Re-experiencing

Re-experiencing is the most common symptom of PTSD.

This is when you relive the traumatic event through:

• flashbacks
• nightmares
• repetitive and distressing images or sensations
• physical sensations - such as pain, sweating, nausea or trembling

You may have non-stop negative thoughts about your experience. You may keep asking yourself questions that stop you from coming to terms with the event.

For example, you may wonder why the event happened to you and if you could have done anything to stop it. This can lead to feelings of guilt or shame.

Avoidance and emotional numbing

Another symptom of PTSD is trying to avoid any reminder of the traumatic event. You may avoid certain people or places that remind you of the trauma. It could also mean that you avoid talking to anyone about your experience.

You may:

• try to push memories of the event out of your mind
• try to distract yourself with work or hobbies
• not feel or express emotions (called emotional numbing)
• become isolated and withdrawn over time
• stop doing things you used to enjoy

Hyperarousal (feeling 'on edge')

PTSD can make you feel very anxious and you may find it difficult to relax. You may be always on the lookout for threats and easily startled. This is called hyperarousal.

Hyperarousal often leads to:

• irritability
• angry outbursts
• sleeping problems
• difficulty concentrating

Other problems

If you have PTSD you may have other problems, including:

• other mental health difficulties
• anxiety
• depression
• phobias
• self-harming or destructive behaviour - such as drug or alcohol misuse
• physical symptoms - such as headaches, dizziness, chest pains and stomach aches

PTSD in children

PTSD can affect children as well as adults.

Children with PTSD may:

• have trouble sleeping and upsetting nightmares
• lose interest in activities they used to enjoy
• have physical symptoms such as headaches and stomach aches
• wet the bed
• be unusually anxious about being separated from a parent or other adult
• re-enact traumatic events through their play

When to get medical advice

It's normal to have upsetting and confusing thoughts after a traumatic event. But in most people, these get better over a few weeks.