How Do You Live With PTSD Or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?
There were no improvised devices, no exploding Humvees, just a violent and brutal attack. Since 2005 I have been diagnosed by five psychiatrists as having Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. This is how I have come to live with it. Know the Signs The United States Department of Veterans Affairs outlines PTSD symptoms as follows: Re-experiencing Symptoms These symptoms involve a sort of mental replay of the trauma, often accompanied by strong emotional reactions. This can happen in reaction to thoughts or reminders of the experience when the person is awake or in the form of nightmares during sleep. Avoidance Symptoms These are often exhibited as efforts to evade activities, places, or people that are reminders of the trauma. Numbing Symptoms These are typically experienced as a loss of emotions, particularly positive feelings. Arousal Symptoms Arousal symptoms reflect excessive physiological activation and include a heightened sense of being on guard as well as difficulty with sleep and co
