You thought the trauma of your accident, sexual abuse, or military tour was over – until it wasn’t.
One minute, you’re enjoying a nice evening with your friends, then the next, the hair on the back of your neck is standing on edge, and your heart is pounding. Suddenly, you’re transported back to the traumatic event that has haunted you ever since.
You want to run, but your legs aren’t responding. You’re trapped, reliving the trauma you thought you had moved on from.
This example is but a small glimpse of what can happen when you suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Episodes like these can be even more challenging when you don’t know what symptoms to expect or how to manage them effectively. That’s where we come in. Our expert team is here to help you navigate a PTSD diagnosis with treatment options fit for you.
Take the first step in moving past your PTSD: call us today at
(720) 891-4657 or fill out our simple contact form.
In this post, we discuss the 17 symptoms of PTSD given by the Fourth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (or DSM-IV) and the mental health support available to help you manage them.
What is PTSD?
PTSD is a mental health disorder that develops following a traumatic event and affects an estimated 7.1% of adults nationwide. Surviving experiences like a car accident, a violent crime, or military combat can trigger PTSD symptoms.
You can also struggle with PTSD from an indirect experience where you aren’t the primary victim. For example, you can develop PTSD after learning about the death of a close loved one or witnessing a hostage situation play out on the news.
Most people impacted by a traumatic event experience a period of challenging emotions and reactions. With time, these feelings tend to lessen and become more manageable. If your symptoms worsen, last for months or longer, and interfere with your daily routine, you might suffer from PTSD.
Everyone’s experience with trauma is different. Knowing what your PTSD symptoms are or could be can help you mitigate them and seek appropriate PTSD treatment.
The 17 Symptoms of PTSD
PTSD signs and symptoms can be nuanced; you might not recognize some common symptoms of PTSD because they are also associated with other conditions.
What are the symptoms of PTSD? How do you know when PTSD is triggered? Recognize the following PTSD attack symptoms and what happens when PTSD is triggered:
- Vivid Flashbacks
A PTSD flashback is when you relive your traumatic experience, and it feels like it is happening all over again right in that moment. These flashbacks can last anywhere from a few seconds to hours at a time.
- Nightmares
Nightmares are one of the most common symptoms of PTSD. The unresolved trauma you’re experiencing can play out in your dreams, releasing stress hormones in your body and preventing you from getting a good night’s sleep.
- Self-Isolation
As you experience flashbacks and lose sleep over the trauma, you may begin to isolate yourself from family, friends, and the greater community. Those struggling with PTSD often feel the need to protect themselves from triggers by isolating themselves.
- Depression
Those who struggle with PTSD can experience depression for weeks, months, or years following their traumatic incident. In fact, research suggests half of people suffering from PTSD also struggle with a major depressive disorder.
- Substance Abuse
It’s common for those suffering from PTSD to develop a substance abuse disorder, as alcohol and drugs can temporarily relieve depression, panic, and anxiety. Unfortunately, long-term substance use to cope with PTSD symptoms can lead to addiction.
- Emotional Avoidance
There are times when just thinking about your trauma is overwhelming. Over time, you might avoid talking about it out of fear that it will trigger flashbacks and negative physical side effects like panic attacks. This mindset increases your risk of becoming more withdrawn from loved ones and friends.
- Feeling on Edge or Hyperarousal
PTSD can put you in a constant state of anticipation and fear. As a result, you might be quick to anger and prone to aggressive behavior. Being on edge can be emotionally draining and make it more challenging to cope with other symptoms.
- Memory Loss
Memory loss can occur following a traumatic event as part of your brain’s defense mechanism since the hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex are all connected to stress and memory. If your PTSD goes untreated, traumatic memories may resurface and cause substantial distress.
- Trouble Concentrating
Anxiety limits your ability to concentrate on daily tasks. For this reason, those who have suffered a traumatic experience often have difficulty readjusting to work and home life since their thoughts are scattered or fixed on what they have endured.
- Insomnia
People with PTSD usually experience a period of insomnia caused by an inability to relax sufficiently at night. Unfortunately, some people turn to alcohol or drugs to calm down.
- Negative Outlook on the Present and Future
Having a traumatic experience can change your perspective on the world. This lingering negativity can result in a feeling of hopelessness with an inability to picture future milestones or growing to old age. You may also start to see yourself in a negative light.
Additional PTSD Symptoms
Beyond the symptoms mentioned above, six other common signs of PTSD include the following:
- Feelings of intense stress caused by reminders of your trauma
- Physical symptoms like pain, sweating, and nausea
- Panic attacks and anxiety
- Feeling emotionally numb and struggling to regulate your emotions
- Struggling to show affection towards others
- Trouble maintaining personal and professional relationships
If you or a loved one continue to have problems more than 4 weeks after a traumatic event or the symptoms are especially disturbing, you should seek medical advice.
Learn more if you believe you are suffering from PTSD.
Learn more if you believe a loved one suffers from PTSD.
Whether you experience some or all these symptoms, you don’t have to cope with your PTSD alone. Our team of mental health and addiction professionals at The Raleigh House can help you overcome your trauma and move forward.
Find Premier PTSD Treatment at The Raleigh House
At The Raleigh House, you never have to manage your PTSD alone. Renowned as Denver’s leading provider of trauma and PTSD treatment, we offer comprehensive care that goes beyond symptom management—helping you truly heal. Our “east to west” approach combines evidence-based therapies with experiential activities to address trauma from every angle.
- At The Ranch, you’ll find a peaceful, nature-inspired setting designed to support deep healing. Here, clients engage in trauma-focused therapies complemented by outdoor and mindfulness activities like equine therapy, yoga, and meditation, providing a calming space to process trauma.
- At The Center for Integrative Behavioral Health, our clinical facility offers expert-led individual and group therapy sessions in a structured, supportive environment. Our trauma specialists use proven therapies like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help you work through PTSD safely and effectively.
Are you ready to heal from PTSD and reclaim a life of purpose and fulfillment? Contact our admissions team today or call us at (720) 891-4657 to learn more about our nationally recognized trauma treatment programs.an help you on your journey to recovery.