Signs You Are Dealing with PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder, more commonly known as PTSD, is a mental condition that sometimes occurs after a person has gone through a traumatic event in their life. For some people, the symptoms come immediately after this traumatic event but for others, they may not come until months, or even years later. Let’s take a look at the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder so you can judge whether you or someone you love might be suffering from the condition.

Symptoms of PTSD

Flashbacks/Nightmares

Sufferers of PTSD will often get flashbacks and experience nightmares from the particular event that they went through. These can be very realistic and terrifying for all involved. So much so that when a nightmare is going on, the individuals have been known to talk or even hit out in their sleep. Waking up in a cold sweat is also very normal.

Lack of Emotion

For those who have gone through a traumatic event, they can often feel a numbness/lack of emotion towards the people who were involved or even everybody in their life who they once had a lot of emotion for. They can also avoid certain areas or certain people who remind them of the experience.

Difficulty Sleeping

Difficulty falling asleep/staying asleep and concentrating in general is very common for those with post-traumatic stress disorder. It’s like their brain never shuts off because their guard is constantly up. Even though the actual threat of the event is now over, the brain struggles to accept that is true.

Easily Angered

They can often feel more easily annoyed and angered by small things going on around them. The individual can also be more-jumpy in situations that they wouldn’t have been previously.

Alcohol/Drug Use

To deal with the nightmares and everything else they are experiencing relating to the traumatic event, sufferers will often use alcohol and drugs in an attempt to forget everything. This might start off quite casual, but it will increase and can become a very dangerous and real addiction.

Where Can the Symptoms Lead?

If those experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder do not get themselves help for what they are going through, it can affect their life in so many ways. It can result in them not being able to look after themselves, losing their job, loss of friendships/relationships, loss of sex drive and simply not enjoying life anymore. While most of these are worst case scenarios, they do happen and should be recognized as such.

A Note from GR8NESS

While PTSD does not happen to everyone who has gone through something traumatic, it is still very common with those who have. You need to know that post-traumatic stress disorder does not go away by itself. If you are experiencing these symptoms or you know somebody who is, it’s really important that the individual visits a doctor for what they are going through. There are many therapists out there who are specialized in this condition and they’ll be able to make a positive difference to what is going on.