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 post
- traumatIc STRESS DISORDER
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
is an anxiety disorder that may develop after exposure to a terrifying
event or ordeal in which severe physical harm occurred or was
threatened. Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include violent
personal assaults, natural or unnatural disasters, accidents, or
military combat.
Symptoms
 Having
bad dreams about the event or something similar
Having
a lot of physical sensations when reminded of the event (heart
pounds or misses a beat, sweating, difficulty breathing, feeling
faint, feeling a loss of control)
Avoiding
thoughts, conversations, or feelings about the event
Loss
of interest in things previously considered important
Feeling
detached from people
Irritability
and anger
Difficulty
falling or staying asleep
Stomach
& intestinal
problems
Weight
gain or loss
Chronic
pain (back, neck, pelvic area in women)
If the
symptoms persist more than
four weeks
Ask
for help, now.
ACUTE STRESS DISORDER
Acute stress disorder develops
within one month after an individual experiences or sees an event that
involved a threat or actual death, serious injury or another kind of
physical violation to the individual or others, and responded to this
event with strong feelings of fear, helplessness or horror.
Symptoms
Lack
of emotional responsiveness, a sense of numbing or detachment
A
reduced sense of surroundings
A
sense of not being real
Depersonalization
or a sense of being dissociated from self
An
inability to remember parts of the trauma, "dissociative amnesia"
Increased
state of anxiety and arousal such as a difficulty staying awake or
falling asleep
Trouble
experiencing pleasure
Repeatedly
re-experiencing the event through recurring images and/or thoughts,
dreams, illusions, flashbacks
Purposeful
avoidance of exposure to thoughts, emotions, conversations, places
or people that remind them of the trauma
Feelings
of stress interfering with functioning; social and occupational
skills are impaired affecting the patient's ability to function,
pursue required tasks and seek treatment
If the symptoms persist
for a minimum of two days to up to four weeks
Ask
for help, now.
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