Trauma can be one time event or a chain of abnormal situations. A human reaction to trauma is called traumatic stress response. Getting over trauma can take time. When a person “fails” naturally recover from trauma post-traumatic stress response lasts or Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop.
Traumatic stress response is severe disturbance; it is a biological reaction to trauma. Fortunately, human body has natural ability to regain the balance and cures by itself. Incapacitating symptoms of post-traumatic stress affect behaviours, emotions, mental and social functioning. Intrusive PTSD can develop within weeks, months or sometimes years since trauma and it becomes a huge problem in everyday life. Trauma survivors must be aware of their emotions and be concerned when they notice changes in feelings, thinking and actions before and after trauma.
• Re-experiencing: flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive memories of the traumatic event, horrifying images, sounds, recollections of trauma, disturbed sleep patterns
• Dysfunctional avoidance to any form of reminders of trauma: thoughts, feelings, conversations, places, people, objects, sounds
• Heightened and intrusive emotions: fear, irritability, hyper-vigilance, constant alertness, jumpiness, startle response, loss of trust, insecurity, memory and concentration issues
• Heightened and intrusive emotions: fear, irritability, hyper-vigilance, constant alertness, jumpiness, startle response, loss of trust, insecurity, memory and concentration issues
• Event/events that leave unprepared people with frightening memories, persistent thoughts and emotional numbness
• Various abrupt events that trigger severe psychological distress - accidents, pain, injuries, surgeries, sudden disabling conditions, life-threatening illness, loss of significant relationships or death of loved ones, abuse, negligence, humiliation, insecurity, violence