Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Symptoms and Diagnosis

Well-Defined Symptoms

A diagnosis for post traumatic stress disorder is based on several well-defined qualities. First, the individual has been involved in a traumatic event, and has experienced extreme emotion in conjunction with that event. This is the obvious unifying factor in all diagnoses.

Re-Experience

The victim may have one or many symptoms. The most common is re-experiencing the event in some way. Most sufferers report extremely vivid, disturbing recollections. For a large proportion, they are recognized as such, though they can still interfere with everyday life to a huge extent. For an unlucky few, the recall is so vivid that the sufferers believe themselves to be really back in the situation.

Numbness

Another common symptom is a numbness of the mind, known technically as ‘avoidance of related stimuli’. Some sufferers will go well out of their way to avoid any experience that is connected to the trauma. Most noticeable is a reluctance to talk about the traumatic situation, and the emotions involved. However, many victims go beyond this. For example, a flood victim might never visit a river again, a burn victim may refuse to light the fire in their own home, and an assault victim might avoid parking in an underground car park. The mind tries to avoid taking in stimuli that resemble the traumatic event.

Tension

Anxiety becomes a concern if levels remain high for more than a month. Nearly all trauma victims have an increased general level of tension after the event. This is known as a ‘high arousal state’. Victims may be easily started, for instance by a knock on the door, or the sound of a tap running. Sleep patterns are disturbed. Many find that they cannot sleep through a night uninterrupted. Some develop severe insomnia, which only serves to intensify their other symptoms.

Disruption

Distress will often occur in a victim’s social life, work and relationships. Friends, associates and family members will notice a negative change in the behavior of a victim. They may be reported as appearing withdrawn, sullen, dull, angry, fearful or erratic. Victims will often withdraw from activities that they once enjoyed, even if these seem to bear no resemblance to the traumatic incident.

Concerns about Sanity

Many victims report a feeling that they are ‘going crazy’. They feel that their response to trauma is unusual. They are frightened at the strength of their recollections. If they are not put in contact with other victims, then they will feel very isolated i

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