Signs and symptoms of post traumatic stress

A collection of reactions - feelings, thoughts, behaviour - which are experienced following a sudden distressing event which is outside the range of normal everyday human experience. It is the unexpectedness of the incident which seems to evoke the stress because it undermines one's trust in normalcy - one can never quite believe in an ordered existence any more. Incidents that can sometimes lead to signs of PTS include such things as burglary, an attack or an accident.

When does it occur and to whom?

Signs of Post Traumatic Stress (PTS), such as those listed below, may not appear for days, weeks or months after the event, and can affect those not directly involved in an incident - e.g. to those who witness an accident, or to rescue workers, or to relatives of those involved.

Why does it occur?

It is the way by which our mind and body 'processes' the event, to try to make sense of it, so that we can eventually react to it in a less distressing way. The processing is often made apparent through physical, emotional and psychological signs.

Signs and symptoms

recurrent intrusive recollections of the event
changes in sleep (e.g. not being able to sleep, or wanting to sleep all the time)
recurrent vivid dreams about the event
feeling or behaving as if the event were happening again
changes in behaviour (e.g. short temper)
changes in feelings about yourself (e.g. feeling useless)
numbed responses
changes in work effectiveness (e.g. poor concentration)
reduced interest in the external world (e.g. feelings of detachment and estrangement)
a sense of always needing to be ultra-alert
a sense of being vulnerable, leading to a fear of losing control
avoidance of activities and / or places which arouse recollections of the event
forgetting an important aspect of the event
guilt at surviving, or for things not done

Post traumatic stress disorder is different from a bereavement reaction (in that it is about a stress reaction to a perceived threat) although the two can occur together and inter-link. It is also linked with depression, in that 30% of those in whom the condition is not recognised and dealt with early go on to develop depression.

How does your body help you cope?

Numbness: At first you may be numb because your mind will only gradually allow you to feel the experience. So the event may feel unreal, as if it couldn't have happened to you. But as you allow your experiences to become more real in your mind, there is a need to think about the event, to talk about it, and at night to dream about it over and over again.