Symptoms of PTSD, written by a Baltimore trauma therapist
As I wrote about in the previous blog, trauma manifests itself in different ways. I wanted to break it down in a list so that you can learn about trauma’s many symptoms. Whether it is diagnosable PTSD or it shows up in other ways, here are some of the ways unresolved trauma might show up in your system (note, this is not an exhaustive list):
Physically:
Headaches & migraines
Stomachaches & nausea
Difficulty sleeping
Fatigue
Chronic pain
High blood pressure
Heart palpitations
Disordered eating (such as binging and restriction)
Autoimmune diseases and other chronic illnesses
Substance use & abuse
Mentally:
Replaying the events in your head
Intrusive thoughts about the event(s)
Flashbacks where it feels like you are reliving the traumatic event again
Difficulties concentrating
Dissociation
Addictions (not just to substances)
Avoidance of memories and reminders of the traumatic event
Difficulty remembering parts or all of the event
Having negative beliefs about yourself and the world
Blaming yourself and people who don’t deserve the blame for what happened
Nightmares
Emotionally:
Increased symptoms of depression
Hypervigilance
Increased feelings of panic
Excessive anxiety and worry
Increased feelings of anger and irritability
Fear
Guilt
Shame
Low self-esteem & feelings of worthlessness
Difficulty regulating emotions
Self-harm
Suicidal thoughts
Socially:
Feeling isolated from others
Difficulty trusting others
Less interest in activities you used to enjoy
Decreased interest in romantic relationships and friendships
Difficulty staying in relationships/frequent problems with friendships
Differed sex drive (can be increased or decreased)
Engaging in risky behaviors (e.g. driving dangerously, living life “on the edge”)
These symptoms can stay with us for a long time. They may ebb and flow or feel constant. Yet, once you start the healing journey, it does get better. Symptoms lessen until one day, they might not take over your life anymore. You can manage them and your life seems easier to live.
Stay tuned for the next blog post, where I’ll talk about the healing steps. For now, be sure to check out my blogs on brainspotting and Internal Family Systems to get a head start.
