Post-traumatic stress disorder is a psychological disorder that causes excessive fear after very shocking, frightening or dangerous situations, such as participating in war, being kidnapped, assaulted, or suffering domestic violence, for example.The disorder can also occur due to a sudden change in life, such as the loss of a loved one.
Although fear is a normal reaction of the body during and shortly after such situations, post-traumatic stress causes a constant fear during daily activities, such as shopping or being alone at home watching television, even in the absence of apparent danger.
- To identify whether a person is experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder.
- It’s important to know several types of symptoms.
- Including:.
These types of symptoms can occur after a specific sensation or after observing an object or hearing a word related to the traumatic situation.
These symptoms are common, they are not produced by any specific situation and therefore can affect many basic activities such as sleeping or concentrating on a task.
Usually, these types of symptoms cause changes in the person’s daily routine, which stops doing activities they used to do, such as using the bus or elevator, for example.
Cognitive and mood symptoms, while common in almost all cases shortly after trauma, disappear after a few weeks and should only be a cause for concern when they worsen over time.
To confirm post-traumatic stress disorder, it is recommended to consult a psychologist, clarify symptoms and initiate appropriate treatment, if necessary.
However, it is possible to suspect this disorder when, during a month, at least 1 symptom of experience and avoidance appears, as well as 2 symptoms of restlessness and mood.
The treatment of post-traumatic stress should always be guided and evaluated by a psychologist or psychiatrist, since it must constantly adapt to help each person overcome their fears and alleviate the symptoms that arise.
In most cases, treatment begins with psychotherapy sessions, during which the psychologist, through conversations and teaching activities, helps to discover and overcome the fears developed during the traumatic event.
However, it may still be necessary to see a psychiatrist to start using antidepressants or anxiolytics, for example, which help relieve symptoms of fear, anxiety and anger more quickly during treatment, facilitating psychotherapy.
If you’ve experienced a very stressful situation and are often scared or anxious, this doesn’t necessarily mean you’re in a state of post-traumatic stress disorder, so try our tips on how to manage anxiety to see if they help you, before looking for a psychologist, for example.