• What is PTSD?

    The American Psychiatric Association defines PTSD as a psychiatric disorder that can occur when an individual witnesses or experiences a traumatic experience such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, a terrorist act, war/combat, rape, or other violent personal assault.

    PTSD symptoms fall in four broad categories:

    Intrusion symptoms
    Avoidance
    Negative changes in thoughts & feelings
    Changes in arousal & reactivity

  • INTRUSION SYMPTOMS

    Intrusions are repeated, involuntary memories, distressing dreams, or flashbacks of the traumatic event.

    Flashbacks may be so vivid that people feel they are re-living the traumatic experience.

  • AVOIDANCE

    These symptoms may include avoiding people, places, activities, object, and situations that bring on distressing memories.

    People may try to avoid remembering or thinking about the traumatic event.

    They may also resist talking about what happened or how they feel about it.

  • NEGATIVE CHANGES IN THOUGHTS & FEELINGS

    Individuals may have the following symptoms:

    Distorted beliefs about oneself, others, or the world (e.g., “I am bad,” “No one can be trusted.”)

    Feelings of ongoing fear, horror, anger, guilt, or shame

    Much less interest in activities they previously enjoyed

    Feelings of being detached or estranged from others

  • CHANGES IN AROUSAL & REACTIVITY

    These symptoms may include:

    Behaving recklessly or in a self-destructive way

    Having problems concentrating or sleeping

    Being irritable and having angry outbursts

    Being easily startled

12345