Symptoms of PTSD fall into three general categories:
1. Repeated "reliving" of the event, which disturbs day-to-day activity
Recurrent distressing memories of the event
Recurrent dreams of the event
Flashback episodes, where the event seems to be recurring
Bodily reactions to situations that remind them of the traumatic event
2. Avoidance
Inability to remember important aspects of the trauma
Lack of interest in normal activities
Feelings of detachment
Sense of having no future
Emotional "numbing", or feeling as though they don’t care about anything
Reduced expression of moods
Staying away from places, people, or objects that remind them of the event
3. Arousal
Irritability or outbursts of anger
Sleeping difficulties
Difficulty concentrating
Exaggerated response to things that startle them
Hypervigilance
Other symptoms that may be associated with this disease include a sense of guilt about the event (including "survivor guilt"), and the following symptoms, which are typical of
anxiety, stress, and tension
:
Paleness
Feeling your heart beat in your chest, called palpitations
There are no tests that can be done to make the diagnosis of PTSD. The diagnosis is made based on a certain set of symptoms that persist after a history of extreme trauma. Your doctor will do psychiatric and physical examinations to rule out other illnesses.
Reviewed By: Christos Ballas, M.D., Attending Psychiatrist, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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