Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) develops after experiencing or witnessing a terrifying, life-threatening, or deeply traumatic event such as combat, sexual assault, serious accidents, natural disasters, or childhood abuse. Not everyone exposed to trauma develops PTSD, but about 6–8% of adults will at some point.
Common signs someone may have PTSD include four main symptom clusters (lasting more than one month and causing significant distress):
- Intrusion/Re-experiencing
- Flashbacks (feeling like the trauma is happening again)
- Nightmares about the event
- Intense distress when reminded of the trauma (triggers)
- Physical reactions (racing heart, sweating) to reminders
- Avoidance
- Avoiding people, places, conversations, or activities that remind them of the trauma
- Emotional numbness or trying not to think/feel about the event
- Negative changes in mood and thinking
- Persistent guilt, shame, or blame (about self or others)
- Feeling detached from loved ones
- Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
- Difficulty remembering parts of the traumatic event
- Persistent negative beliefs (“The world is completely dangerous,” “I’m broken”)
- Hyperarousal / Increased reactivity
- Being easily startled (“on edge”)
- Irritability or angry outbursts
- Difficulty sleeping or staying asleep
- Hypervigilance (constantly scanning for danger)
- Problems with concentration
Other red flags: reckless behavior, self-harm tendencies, or physical symptoms like chronic pain with no clear medical cause.
Important: Only a qualified mental health professional (psychiatrist, psychologist, or licensed therapist) can diagnose PTSD. If you or someone you know shows several of these symptoms for more than a month and they interfere with work, relationships, or daily life, seek professional help immediately. Early treatment (therapy like CBT or EMDR, and sometimes medication) dramatically improves outcomes.