Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop after extremely distressing or life-threatening events. These may include accidents, experiences of violence, abuse, war-related events, or natural disasters.
Not every distressing event leads to PTSD. However, if symptoms persist for weeks or months and significantly impair daily functioning, a condition requiring treatment may develop.
A typical feature is the repeated, involuntary re-experiencing of the traumatic event, accompanied by intense inner tension and avoidance behavior.
Symptoms
Symptoms can be divided into four main categories:
Re-experiencing (Intrusions):
Flashbacks
Nightmares
Distressing memories
Intense emotional or physical reactions to triggers
Avoidance:
Avoiding certain places or situations
Suppressing distressing thoughts
Social withdrawal
Negative changes in thinking and mood:
Feelings of guilt or shame
Emotional numbness
Persistent negative beliefs
Loss of interest
Hyperarousal:
Sleep disturbances
Irritability
Concentration difficulties
Heightened startle response
Symptoms may occur immediately after the event or develop with a delay.
Types
Acute stress reaction (short-term reaction immediately after trauma)
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Complex PTSD (following prolonged or repeated traumatization)
Accurate classification is essential for treatment planning.
Causes
PTSD develops as a result of a traumatic event in combination with individual risk factors:
Type, duration, and intensity of the trauma
Lack of social support
Previous traumatic experiences
Individual stress processing
On a neurobiological level, changes occur in the systems regulating stress and anxiety.