Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating condition that can have a chokehold on an individual's life. PTSD can cause everything from severe anxiety to uncontrollable flashbacks and negative thoughts.

This condition can affect a person not long after experiencing a traumatic event. While it can feel impossible to move forward, people can overcome these issues with counselling for PTSD. The first step is learning to identify symptoms. Here are a few signs that someone has PTSD.

Avoidance

One of the most common PTSD symptoms is avoidance. People often try to avoid reliving the events they experienced. So, they go out of their way not to talk about it. They may gloss over the discussion when the trauma comes up.

Some people even take things further by avoiding the event's location or related activities.

Extreme Physical and Emotional Reactions

PTSD can have a significant impact on how an individual sees the world. Suddenly, everything becomes new and somewhat frightening. This new perspective typically comes with intense feelings of anxiety and constant stress.

Unfortunately, it makes many people living with PTSD prone to extreme reactions. For example, they might be easily frightened. Some may experience difficulties sleeping, relaxing, and concentrating.

In the worst cases, people can turn to self-destructive behaviours like drinking or careless driving.

Strong and Uncontrollable Memories

Intrusive memories are standard with this condition, and it's often the centre of counselling for PTSD. The traumatic event is so ingrained in the individual's mind that they cannot focus on anything else. The memories can be intrusive, creating uncomfortable memories.

These intrusive memories can appear during the day and at night in dreams. Either way, they often cause severe emotional distress.

Mood Changes

Finally, many people living with PTSD have changes in overall mood and behaviour. Traumatic events can change a person, and the signs are not difficult to spot. Individuals become detached from their regular social circles.

They may spend more time alone, becoming less interested in previously enjoyable activities. Some also become hopeless about the future, falling into a cycle of depression.

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Alester Brown writes about mental and physical health. She advises people on Paediatrician & online Psychiatrist consultation. You can find her thoughts at counsellor for OCD blog.