Following a traumatic experience, nearly everyone reacts with feelings of distress and despair. Anxiety or sleep disorders are normal reactions. Yet post-traumatic stress disorder does not develop directly after the trauma, but usually only weeks or months later. In case of PTSD, the shock experienced has reached to the depth level of the neuronal brain structure.
The Symptoms of PTSD can be categorised in three central groups:
A. Symptoms leading to a proximity to the trauma:
flashbacks : flash-like remembering of parts of the trauma, usually provoked by a trigger/cue of varying sensory nature (e.g. smells, sounds, visual impressions, feelings, physical sensations)
B. Symptoms leading to avoidance of proximity to the trauma:
C. Physical symptoms (physical memories):