Post-traumatic stress (PTS) may emerge months or sometimes years after a traumatic experience,  affecting your ability to lead your life as you’d like to.​

​

The term post-traumatic stress is used to name a range of symptoms you may develop in response to experiencing a traumatic event, which is outside of your normal human experience.

​

It is often a  delayed response.​If you have faced a traumatic experience, you may simply feel emotionally numb to begin with and feelings of distress may not emerge straight away.

​

But sooner or later, you may develop emotional  and physical reactions, and changes in behaviour, which may include some of the following:​​​

 

 

• reliving aspects of the trauma​

• vivid flashbacks (feeling that the trauma is happening all over again)

• intrusive thoughts and images

• nightmares

• intense distress at real or symbolic reminders of the trauma

• avoiding memories​

• keeping busy

• avoiding situations that remind you of the trauma

• repressing memories (being unable to remember aspects of the event)

• feeling detached, cut off and emotionally numb

• being unable to express affection

• feeling there’s no point in planning for the future

• being easily upset or angry​

• disturbed sleep

• irritability and aggressive behaviour

• lack of concentration

• extreme alertness

• panic response to anything to do with the trauma

• being easily startled

• reckless behaviour