39 Symptoms Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder And Some Little Lies Sufferers Sometimes Tell

Post-traumatic stress disorder (more commonly abbreviated to PTSD) is a mental health condition that’s triggered by a terrifying event, and it can be caused both by experiencing it and by simply witnessing it.

The triggering event (or events) may be a one-time thing, or the result of chronic and/or repeated trauma.

Although the term PTSD is relatively new, shell shock, as it was known back then, was very common during World War I, and there are even reports of what we would nowadays call PTSD dating back to 490 BC.

What Is Trauma?

Trauma is defined as a deeply distressing or disturbing experience, which may include any of the following:

• Accident
• Being threatened with a weapon
• Bereavement
• Childhood physical abuse
• Combat exposure
• Fire
• Kidnapping
• Life-threatening medical diagnosis
• Mugging
• Natural disaster
• Physical assault
• Plane crash
• Robbery
• Sexual abuse or violence, including molestation and rape
• Terrorist attack
• Torture
• and other extreme or life-threatening events.

While the American Psychiatric Association has a somewhat narrower definition of what it classifies as PTSD, there still has to be some form of trauma involved.

However, just because somebody experiences a traumatic event does not mean they are guaranteed to suffer from PTSD. It’s estimated that about one in two people will experience trauma at some stage in their life, and yet most of them are never diagnosed with this condition.

Who Does PTSD Affect?

While we usually think of war veterans when somebody mentions PTSD, it can affect anybody, whatever their age, although the average age of onset is 23.

Estimates show that about 1 in 12 to 1 in 13 people in the USA suffer from PTSD. However, PTSD in war veterans runs anywhere from 10% (Gulf War) to 30% (Vietnam).

It also turns out that it affects women about twice as frequently as men (outside of the military, where the gender split is closer to 50:50), numbers that possibly reflect the increased levels of domestic violence and sexual assault against women over men.

Signs Of PTSD

Perhaps not surprisingly, symptoms of PTSD in part mirror those of other mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, but here is a list of what you might typically see:

1. Agitation.
2. Always on high alert for potential danger.
3. Avoiding any situation or place that reminds you of the trauma.
4. Being startled by loud noises or even surprises.
5. Being unable to imagine a positive future.
6. Chest pains.
7. Creating warning systems (e.g. leaving things on the floor for people to trip over or that will make a noise when stood on).
8. Daydreaming (which is a sign of trying to dissociate from the trauma).
9. Difficulty entering into, or maintaining, relationships.
10. Dizziness.
11. Fainting.
12. Feeling emotionally numb.
13. Feelings of intense distress when you are reminded of the traumatic event(s).
14. Flinching at the slightest movement.
15. Frequently checking locks and other security devices.
16. Hallucinations.
17. Headaches.
18. Hypersexuality.
19. Insomnia and other problems sleeping.
20. Intense physical reactions (e.g. nausea, racing heart, rapid breathing, sweating, tension in your muscles) to reminders of the trauma (e.g. sights, smells, sounds).
21. Irritability.
22. Lack of interest in activities you used to enjoy.
23. Making sure people you care about are still alive and well.
24. Mood swings, including outbursts of anger.
25. No interest in other people or the world in general.
26. Not seeking help because you don’t want to discuss or think about the abuse or trauma.
27. Oversharing (in an attempt to get those negative memories out of your system).
28. Overwhelming feelings of despair, fear, guilt, sadness, shame, or self-hatred.
29. Panic attacks.
30. Partial amnesia regarding the traumatic event(s).
31. Physical pain that travels throughout the body.
32. Problems trusting others.
33. Recurring flashbacks or nightmares of the abuse or trauma.
34. Self-destructive behaviour, including substance abuse.
35. Selective mutism (where you are unable to speak in certain situations).
36. Suicidal thoughts.
37. Thinking the world is a more dangerous place than it actually is.
38. Trouble maintaining focus and concentration.
39. Violent behaviour.

Some of the above are more common in adults, while others are seen more in children and teeangers.

In addition, younger children (i.e. those aged six or loess), may also:

1. Have frightening dreams, which need not always include some elements of the trauma or abuse.
2. Use play to re-enact some or all aspects of the trauma or abuse.

Additional Information About PTSD

As with many mental health problems, the above list of symptoms is long, and not everybody experiences PTSD in the same way.

In many cases, you can live a near-normal life, only having panic attacks, say, when you hear a car backfire or see a TV news segment about somebody else who suffered the same abuse or trauma as you did.

And while some triggers may be obvious, such as the ones I just mentioned, others might be a lot more subtle, like:

• a particular smell you sensed at the time of the event
• one specific sound that resembles or mirrors one you heard when you were being abused
• the colour of something that you could see during the trauma

It’s also worth bearing in mind that PTSD does not always appear immediately after the traumatic event – it could surface years later. This can be especially true if the person has tried to suppress their feelings and memories about the event, but they are still there and if they have not been dealt with, they can, and often will, come to the fore again at some time, usually without warning.

White Lies You May Hear

Sometimes, people with PTSD will say something that is not true, just to cover up how their PTSD is really making them feel. Examples include:

• “I’m fine.” This may be the biggest and most common lie of them all, and we’ve probably all used it at some time, which means we know full well it’s rarely the truth.
• “I forgot to…” It’s often easier to claim you forgot to do something or attend an event than to explain why you find that particular activity difficult.
• “I have a headache.” As listed above, this may be true, since it’s a sign of PTSD, but it may be just an excuse to avoid having to interact with people.
• “I like my personal space.” This might be said by assault survivors especially when they cannot bear to be touched.
• “I need a nap.” Again, since problems sleeping is a recognized symptom of PTSD, it may be true, but there again, it may just be a sign that they need some alone time, away from people.
• “It’s probably just my anxiety.” It’s easier to say this than to have to explain you’re having a flashback and then go into details about the circumstances.
• And they may just tell you whatever they think you want to hear so that they can get out of the conversation as quickly as possible.

Another common lie is remaining silent – i.e. not talking to anybody about their problems and needs, and not asking for help.

In most cases, it’s best not to call them out on it, especially if there are other people present who do not know about the PTSD. If they wanted to give you the real reason behind what they said, they will.

Conclusion

Like with many mental health problems, it is a much bigger subject than many people imagine.

And, of course, there is stigma attached, perhaps less so if you are a war veteran, but that’s largely because people have no idea how something like PTSD can make you feel and behave.

If the world were a kinder and more empathetic place, maybe there wouldn’t be so many people with mental health problems such as PTSD in the first place, but in the meantime, we can only do our own little bit to increase our knowledge and understanding, and treat people with kindness – because although they may not like to admit it, pretty much everybody is dealing with issues that may be largely invisible to others.

Additional Resources

These are suggestions for those who wish to delve deeper into any of the above:

1. PTSD Workbook
2. Trauma Support