Life can be unpredictable, and some of us are filled with grief and trauma memories. When you are exposed to various traumatic events like rape, accident, illness, sexual violence, serious injuries, or being threatened with death, you can get traumatized for years. With time, you develop PTSD accompanied by disturbing feelings and thoughts related to these past traumatic events. These feelings and thoughts are relived through nightmares ad flashbacks. You may feel angry, sad, and afraid and even detach yourself from specific people. You try to avoid people or situations that remind you of the events that traumatized you. However, you should note that not everyone who goes through trauma will develop PTSD. Still, in any case of the disorder, the best treatment is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in London. CBT is the best treatment for PTSD and other issues like depression, anxiety, insomnia, and esteem issues. The following are common symptoms of PTSD.

  • Nightmares

People who have experienced trauma may have frequent nightmares where they are always in a panic. According to research, more than 70% of people with PTSD have nightmares. Therefore, this is one major symptom of PTSD.

  • Disturbing Thoughts

This is another known symptom of PTSD. A person may be confronted by bad memories of the things that happened in the past. For example, a person involved in a gruesome accident may panic when driving a vehicle or anything related.

  • Loss of Memory

When someone is exposed to trauma, such events impact how the brain functions. One of the major effects is loss of memory when the brain finds a way of coping with the things that happened. Therefore, memory loss is a way of defending itself. Proper treatment is required to prevent these memories from resurfacing and causing more issues.

  • Negative Thinking

Someone who has been through trauma may view the world and people differently. They may feel hopeless and cannot see their selves having a better future. This lowers self –esteem and the person may lack motivation in life. Therefore, CBT is required to help people build their self-esteem and start thinking positively about themselves and the good things life offers.

  • Irritability

When a person develops PTSD, the brain switches to the fight and flight mode, which causes irritability and anger. The hyperarousal state triggers strong emotions like anger and irritability, where a person lashes out at the slightest thing.

  • Isolation

Sometimes it is difficult to connect with others after surviving something terrible. One may find it hard to be around others for different reasons or because of the fear of experiencing traumatic triggers. Hence, talking with a specialist is advisable to help reconnect with others.

  • Insomnia

Another major symptom of PTSD is insomnia, where a person with PTSD cannot sleep due to too much in mind. Additionally, the nightmares may also disrupt sleep. Many people who cannot sleep turn to drugs and alcohol, escalating the problem.

Conclusion

These are a few of the many symptoms of PTSD. However, to be diagnosed with PTSD, these symptoms must prolong for more than a month and cause issues in your daily life. Sometimes people experience these symptoms way later, and PTSD can coexist with depression, memory issues, substance use, etc.