PTSD is a disorder that affects people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event. It is normal for people who have undergone trauma to have anxiety, trouble sleeping, fear, and other symptoms for up to a month after the event. If these symptoms persist, it could be a case of PTSD.
Personal experiences such as going to war, being in prison, rape, assault, witnessing a murder or natural disaster, or other severe experiences can all be classified as traumatic. Adjusting to life after a traumatic event can take time, but many people are able to successfully make the transition. Other people are not able to deal with the traumatic event as easily. Some signs of PTSD are:
- Constantly reliving the event
- Thinking the event will happen again
- Trouble sleeping or nightmares about the event
- Reactions to impulses that remind you of the event
- Paranoia
While the thoughts of the event might affect some people, others may be consumed by trying to block out the event completely. They will avoid people, places, images, sounds, and other stimuli that remind them of the traumatic event.
Therapy can help those suffering from PTSD. Through talk therapy we can slowly revisit the event so that it can be understood, dealt with, and eventually accepted on a personal level.