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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a type of anxiety caused by experiencing a frightening, unsafe, or life threatening situation.
We often think of PTSD just affecting war veterans; however it can affect anybody.
Situations that may trigger PTSD include:
• military combat
• serious road traffic accident
• assault, mugging or robbery
• rape or sexual assault
The symptoms of PTSD may develop immediately following the event or may take months to come on.
PTSD can develop in any situation where a person feels extreme fear, horror or helplessness. These are often unusual and unexpected events.
Symptoms of PTSD can include:
• flashbacks (feeling as though you are reliving the trauma over and over again)
• nightmares and distressing thoughts
• becoming easily startled or anxious
• feeling tense or ‘on edge’
• having difficulty sleeping
• staying away from places, objects or events that remind you of the experience
• feeling emotionally numb
• trouble remembering the event
Although the symptoms of PTSD can be very scary they don’t have to continue. The Steps to Wellbeing Service provides treatment that has been shown to be effective in treating PTSD and reducing the impact it has on an individual’s life.
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