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Among the many stressful experiences
of living, we may be faced with extraordinary circumstances
that leave us feeling terrified, powerless, and/or horrified
in the face of threatened or actual injury or death.
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- terrorist attacks
- natural disaster
- catastrophe caused
by human error
- catastrophe caused
by failed equipment
- physical or sexual
assault; rape
- robbery/mugging
- motor vehicle accident
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- witnessed violence,
injury, or death
- combat, torture, or
imprisonment
- threats of harm to
self or loved ones
- domestic violence and
abuse
- destruction of one's
home
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Not everyone experiences
the following symptoms. Some people may experience a
few and others may experience many. Severity of symptoms
varies with individuals.
| Physical |
Emotional |
Mental |
Behavioral |
- Nausea
- Upset stomach
- Diarrhea
- Feeling uncoordinated
- Chest pains*
- Difficulty breathing*
- Rapid heart beat
- Muscle aches
- Headaches
- Chills
- Profuse sweating
- Sleep disturbances
- Dizziness
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- Anxiety
- Fear
- Grief
- Depression
- Sadness
- Feeling lost
- Feeling abandoned
- Feeling isolated
- Worrying about
others
- Wanting to hide
- Limiting contact
with others
- Anger
- Irritability
- Startle Response
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- Slowed thinking
- Difficulty making
decisions
- Difficulty in
problem-solving
- Confusion
- Disorientation,
especially to time and place
- Difficulty calculating
- Difficulty naming
common objects
- Seeing event
over and over (flashbacks)
- Distressing dreams
- Poor attention
span
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- Withdrawal
- Restlessness
- Emotional outbursts
- Increased use
of alcohol or drugs (including prescriptions)
- Change in speech
- Change in appetite
- Increased startle
reflex
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Should be evaluated by an M.D. |
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PTSD is a complex disorder that
can impact many areas of a person's life, including relationships
and day-to-day functioning. Some of the symptoms can be
very dramatic, including sudden memories (flashbacks)
that make the person feel as if he or she is suffering
the event all over again. Other symptoms are more subtle,
but equally devastating. These include a sensation of
numbness or detachment that might keep the sufferer from
feeling close to their loved ones.
Many people who suffer from
PTSD expect that it will "go away" on its own. Sometimes
people think that they deserve the pain they are experiencing
because they may blame themselves for the traumatic
event that occurred. Some people just try to avoid thinking
about the event and attempt to return to their "normal"
lives, but they find that PTSD symptoms begin to intrude
on what they used to consider normal. For example, the
sufferer may begin to get headaches, feel more angry
or impatient with others, feel more jumpy, or more distracted.
He or she may feel more isolated or alone. In fact,
some people who have PTSD never even make the connection
between the symptoms listed in the chart above and the
traumatic event that they suffered.
PTSD is treatable!
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