Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

  • arises as delayed or protracted response to a stressful event or situation

Clinical Features

  • persistent, intrusive thinking/re-experiencing of trauma (flashbacks or nightmares)

  • avoidance of reminders

  • anxiety, persistent with autonomic symptoms, hypervigilance, sleep disturbance, irritability, poor concentration

  • numbness

  • onset weeks, months, years (rarely) later

    • usually within 6 months

  • after exceptionally severe stressor

    • assault, accident, disaster, battle

    • may be worse with 'man-made' rather than natural disasters

  • symptoms for more than 1 month

  • episodes of fear, panic or aggression triggered by stimuli arousing sudden recollection or re-enactment of trauma or something related to it.

Treatment