Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a condition that is caused by a traumatic event.  

PTSD can cause symptoms such as:

• Startled in situations that can trigger hypervigilance.  Hypervigilance is when you are on guard due to fear of the trauma happening again.  You are living in the past, rather than the present as the memory of the traumatic experience sits in your subconscious. 
• Dissociation that is a learned protective mechanism to escape from situations that trigger reminders of the traumatic experience.  Dissociation is when you unconsciously remove yourself from a situation, while physically still present
• Aggressive or irritable behaviour
• Risky or reckless behaviour
• Insomnia (not enough sleep) or hypersomnia (too much sleep)
• Problems with concentration, attention and memory
• Intimate, workplace or personal relationship problems

Symptoms may have occurred six months or more after the traumatic incident and has persisted for more than one month.  

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