What are the symtoms of ptsd?

Answer 1

PTSD patients re-experience an event over and over again in one of several ways. They may have frightening dreams or memories of the event or have flashbacks. They may become upset during the anniversary of the particular event.

The symptoms fall into three categories:

1. Re experiencing the event, which disturbs day-to-day activities: Flashbacks, recurrent memories of event, and physical reactions to stimuli that reminds patient of event are all part of this category.

2. Avoidance: Patients may feel emotionally "numb" or detached. They have a lack of interest in normal activities and have trouble expressing their moods. They will avoid anything that may remind them of the traumatic event. In extreme cases, many will feel as if they have no future.

3. Arousal: Difficulty concentrating and having a exaggerated startled response are often viewed in patients with PTSD. Many also become hyper-vigilant and become irritable or display outbursts of anger. Sleeping difficulties is not uncommon with PTSD patients. Some patients also experience feelings of guilt, anxiety, stress, and tension.

Physical Symptoms include dizziness, agitation, fainting, heart palpitations, fever, headache, and paleness.

Answer 2

~Flashbacks -reliving the trauma over and over, including physical symptoms like a racing heart or sweating. Nightmares. ~Staying away from places, events, or objects that are reminders of experience. Feeling emotionally numb. Feeling strong guilt, depression, or worry. ~Being easily startled. Feeling tense. Having angry outbursts.

Answer 3

There are three main types of symptoms:

1) Re-experiencing the traumatic event, which includes:

• Intrusive, upsetting memories of the event
• Flashbacks (acting or feeling like the event is happening again)
• Nightmares (either of the event or of other frightening things)
• Feelings of intense distress when reminded of the trauma
• Intense physical reactions to reminders of the event (e.g. pounding heart, rapid breathing, nausea, muscle tension, sweating)

• 2) Avoidance and emotional numbing:

  • Avoiding activities, places, thoughts, or feelings that remind you of the trauma
  • Inability to remember important aspects of the trauma
  • Loss of interest in activities and life in general
  • Feeling detached from others and emotionally numb
  • Sense of a limited future (you don't expect to live a normal life span, get married, have a career)

  3) Increased arousal:

  • Difficulty falling or staying asleep
  • Irritability or outbursts of anger
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Hypervigilance (on constant "red alert")
  • Feeling jumpy and easily startled

  There are also some symptoms that are not currently categorized in the above. They are as follows:

  • Anger and irritability
  • Guilt, shame, or self-blame
  • Substance abuse
  • Depression and hopelessness
  • Suicidal thoughts and feelings
  • Feeling alienated and alone
  • Feelings of mistrust and betrayal
  • Headaches, stomach problems, chest pain

Answer 4

The link has the info you need.

The diagnostic criteria for PTSD, stipulated in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10 (ICD-10), may be summarized as:[67]

• Exposure to a stressful event or situation (either short or long lasting) of exceptionally threatening or catastrophic nature, which is likely to cause pervasive distress in almost anyone.
• Persistent remembering or "reliving" the stressor by intrusive flash backs, vivid memories, recurring dreams, or by experiencing distress when exposed to circumstances resembling or associated with the stressor.
• Actual or preferred avoidance of circumstances resembling or associated with the stressor (not present before exposure to the stressor).
• Either (1) or (2):

1. Inability to recall, either partially or completely, some important aspects of the period of exposure to the stressor
2. Persistent symptoms of increased psychological sensitivity and arousal (not present before exposure to the stressor) shown by any two of the following:

• difficulty in falling or staying asleep
• irritability or outbursts of anger
• difficulty in concentrating
• hyper-vigilance
• exaggerated startle response.

Answer 5

It affects people in different ways. Coming back from Iraq, I felt I had to be armed everywhere I went. Cars backfiring, fireworks, etc. really set me off. I had a real bad downward spiral, I expected every parked car, every dead animal on the side of the road, etc. to blow up as I went past it, I had flashbacks, I contemplated suicide... it's worse for some people, not as bad for others.

Answer 6

Please see the link below for a comprehensive list of symptoms.