Post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD)

Introduction

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder caused by very stressful, frightening or distressing events.
• Someone with PTSD often relives the traumatic event through nightmares and flashbacks, and may experience feelings of isolation, irritability and guilt.
• They may also have problems sleeping, such as insomnia, and find concentrating difficult.
• These symptoms are often severe and persistent enough to have a significant impact on the person’s day-to-day life.

Symptoms

• The symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can have a significant impact on your day-to-day life.
• In most cases, the symptoms develop during the first month after a traumatic event. However, in a minority of cases, there may be a delay of months or even years before symptoms start to appear.
• Some people with PTSD experience long periods when their symptoms are less noticeable, followed by periods where they get worse. Other people have constant, severe symptoms.
• The specific symptoms of PTSD can vary widely between individuals.