Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition or disorder. This happens because of traumatic events or circumstances. There could be a single event or series of events leading to PTSD.

There are a number of reasons behind PTSD. Child hood traumas like neglection, parents fight or divorce, and sexual abuse is considered as one of the reason. Events like accidents and death of loved ones can also lead to PTSD. Genetics also plays a role in it. Because of genes, some people can develop PTSD.

PTSD impacts the whole life functioning. It disrupts sleep and the ability to work. People suffering from PTSD experience loss of appetite. 

Listed below are the 6 most common symptoms of Post-traumatic stress disorder.

1. Flashbacks or Nightmares

It’s a psychotic disorder which keeps the person in the past. It’s a very serious condition. People suffering from it experience flashbacks and nightmares. 

When someone experiences the flashbacks, it means that the brain is presenting the trauma as a present event. In this a person sees a blurry or vivid image of that traumatic experience. In some cases, people feel the pain again as it’s happening again. 

In nightmares, that event repeatedly comes in the dreams. Brain indicates that the danger is still present. Fear of having nightmares leads to insomnia too.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is really important to deal with flashbacks and PTSD on the whole. It helps people to recover from traumatic experiences. To make this common, EMDR Training should be given to the clinicians to help patients.

2. Negative Thoughts

People suffering from PTSD usually experience negative thoughts. They live in constant fear. For them, the World is unsafe. Because of their trauma, they link every happening to themselves. As if, everything would lead towards that particular traumatic incident. 

Some, because of their negative thoughts, start blaming themselves. They always question themselves for that bad or traumatic experience. These thoughts shake their confidence and make them believe that they aren’t good enough.

3. Avoidance 

Avoidance is a very common behavioral symptom of PTSD. This becomes really problematic. This person tries to get an escape from his thoughts and feelings. Some start avoiding the places where the traumatic incident occurs and areas which accelerate the fear of that trauma.

This act of avoidance keeps increasing with time. People facing it isolate themselves from gatherings and make mobile phones or other devices as their escape. They become so addicted to it that this adversely affects their mental health more. 

4. Concentration Issues

PTSD leads to concentration issues. People facing it remain in the bubble of intrusive thoughts. In the back of their mind, they are always thinking about that traumatic experience. This never lets them move on which results in serious concentration issues.

You can easily observe this symptom. Those people face difficulty in finishing tasks. If you are talking to such a person, you will find them absent-minded. They also find it difficult to communicate. Restlessness and anxiety is clearly visible in their every activity. In simple words, people facing concentration issues due to PTSD lose the ability to concentrate on anything.