It’s normal to be affected by a very stressful or traumatic experience, such as military combat, natural disasters, terrorists attacks, serious accidents, or physical or sexual abuse.  For example, it’s typical to be upset, on edge, experience upsetting memories, or have trouble sleeping after exposure to a traumatic event, For most people, these experiences begin to diminish and they start to feel better after a few weeks or months. However, for some distressing symptoms can persist and interfere with their daily lives. Approximately 5% of adolescents meet criteria for PTSD,  a psychiatric disorder that can develop after someone experiences or witnesses a life-threatening event, injury, or sexual violence. PTSD can also develop when someone learns of a close relative or friend who experienced an actual or near accidental or violent death.* In some cases, PTSD symptoms may not begin might away or they might wax and wane over time.

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SYMPTOMS OF PTSD

Symptoms of PTSD fall into three different clusters.

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1. Intrusion of thoughts or unwelcome memories of the traumatic event manifested in one or more of the following ways:

• Memories of the trauma that keep coming back even though you don’t want them to. 

• Nightmares related to the traumatic event. Kids may have freighting dreams that don’t center on the traumatic event.

• Flashbacks or other dissociative reactions that make it feel like the event is happening again.

• Intense, long-lasting emotional distress or physical reactions in response to a “trigger” or something that reminds you of the traumatic event. For example, someone who witnessed a shooting might feel terrified, start sweating, or experience racing heartrate when they hear a car backfire.

 

2. Persistent avoidance of feelings, thoughts, or things (e.g., situations, people, places, objects) related to the trauma. For example, someone who was mugged may go out of her way to avoid the street where it happened or might try not to think about it. Although it makes sense that people want to avoid thoughts, feelings, or things associated with the trauma, when avoidance becomes pervasive or extreme, it can get in the way of healing and recovery. 

• Having trouble remembering an important aspect of what happened

• Feeling worse about yourself, other people, or the world

• Blaming yourself for what happened even though it wasn’t your fault

• Feeling negative emotions (fear, anger, guilt) a lot of the time

• Difficulty experiencing positive emotions (happiness, satisfaction, loving feelings towards others)

• Being less interested in things you used to enjoy

• Feeling detached or not connected to other people

 

3. How you react or respond to things may change and you may experience:

• Anger outburst (yelling, throwing things, violence towards others)

• Engaging in dangerous behavior like driving too fast, using drugs

• Feeling keyed up or on edge

• Always looking out for danger

• Trouble concentrating

• Trouble falling or staying sleep or sleeping restlessly. 

 

To be diagnosed with PTSD, symptoms from each of these clusters must last for a month or more and must get in the way of your relationships, school or work performance, or other important areas of your life. It is also important to note that different people may experience different symptoms of PTSD and that not everyone with PTSD has the same experiences.

Some people may not meet full criteria for PTSD for some time, which is known as “PTSD with delayed expression”. 

 

What other problems do people with PTSD tend to experience?

Many people who have PTSD also experience other mental health or physical problems, such as:

•  Alcohol or drug Abuse

•  Depression

•  Thoughts of harming themselves

•  Chronic Pain

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*-American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 5th ed. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association; 2013

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