PTSD is a condition that is growing exponentially year on year that is suffered by young and old alike. It can be many months after an event where the symptoms really take hold. Sufferers can have the symptoms for months and in some cases even years, which has prompted many to resort to using new methods such as using cannabis. So, what are the signs to look out for?
Reliving the Event on a Regular Basis
This is possibly the most well-known symptom where the sufferer replays the traumatic event over and over again in their mind. These thoughts can blind side you at any moment during your day, and it can be particularly stressful for the sufferer to constantly re-live these events, leading to insomnia and mental health problems. Certain triggers can also make you relive the event. For example, a war veteran may hear a loud bang which will remind him of war, which opens the flood gates for bad memories and thoughts. Some people even feel the same physical sensations they experienced when they first experienced the incident.
Avoidance & Numbing
Sufferers tend to avoid certain situations where they are reminded of a particularly harrowing event. For example, if they suffered a car accident that induced the PTSD, they may be reluctant to get back in a car and drive. This has a great impact on what a sufferer can do.
In order to block out the trauma, they may turn to mind blocking activities such as jigsaws or crosswords, but they may take the route of consuming alcohol, which can certainly be dangerous in the long run.
The PTSD can also manifest itself in a way where the sufferer becomes emotionally numb, which acts as a coping mechanism, because the sufferer doesn’t want to feel the pain anymore. This means even positive experiences cannot induce feelings of happiness.
The Sufferer Feels a Combination of Guilt & Shame
If a person survived a harrowing event and another individual didn’t the person who suffers from PTSD may feel feelings of guilt and shame. They may feel that the whole situation was their fault, when in reality it wasn’t. This is a common feeling that victims of rape experience. They feel shame that you allowed the event to happen, which can be really hard for anyone to take.
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