PTSD can cause avoidance, detachment, hypersensitivity, and flashbacks. These behaviors can strain relationships and cause difficulty in healing. Therapy can help manage symptoms.
PTSD, also known as PTSD, can cause a variety of behavioral symptoms. As the psyche attempts to deal with the aftermath of physical or mental trauma, post-traumatic stress behavior may emerge, requiring therapeutic treatment. Some of the more common types of PTSD behavior include symptoms of avoidance or detachment and heightened emotional sensitivity. While not always apparent on the outside, people with PTSD may also have vivid nightmares or experience flashbacks of the trauma.
One strategy the mind can employ after a trauma is detachment. Some signs of PTSD behavior include refusing to talk about the trauma, losing interest in previously enjoyed activities, and changing or abandoning regular routines. Relationships with close friends and family members can become strained due to PTSD behavior; victims may find it difficult to relate to loved ones or begin to sever emotional ties to further detach. While the mind may need to temporarily withdraw from the experience of a trauma, avoidance symptoms can cause considerable damage to personal relationships and career goals over time. Additionally, a person enmeshed in trauma avoidance may have difficulty healing, as they are unable to address the source of the psychological pain.
Some PTSD behaviors manifest as hypersensitivity or through heightened emotional states. People with PTSD may have difficulty controlling their temper, get disproportionately angry over small issues, and have intense bouts of emotion. Some may experience a heightened level of paranoia about personal safety and may feel extremely uncomfortable in situations that feel unsafe, or panic when startled. In some cases, elevated emotional behavior from PTSD can lead to changes in alcohol or drug use and can be a gateway to addiction.
One of the most common symptoms of PTSD is the inability to recall the trauma without reliving the experience. A PTSD patient may go over events many times a day, not only remembering what happened, but experiencing emotional distress and even physical pain, each time the trauma is relived. Some may also experience recurring vivid nightmares of the trauma, leading to sleep disturbances. The outward signs of PTSD flashbacks can include changes in breathing patterns, sweating, an inability to concentrate, and other symptoms of anxiety. A person experiencing a PTSD-related nightmare may squirm or talk in their sleep, be afraid to go to sleep, and may not be able to shake off the nightmare once they wake up.
PTSD behavior can indicate that a person is having difficulty coping with a trauma in a healthy way. Even with therapeutic intervention, trauma victims can take months or even years to gain control over the behavioral symptoms of this condition. In addition to creating a safe environment in which to talk about a traumatic experience, therapy can offer trauma victims an outlet to discuss their symptoms and develop strategies for managing each issue.
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