What symptoms are associated with anniversary reactions?
A common type of anniversary reaction is experiencing grief and sadness around the anniversary of the death of someone significant. In fact, this is common enough that most major religions have commemorative ceremonies to support the intensification of grief at these times. At the extreme end of the spectrum, people can find themselves clinically depressed or even suicidal. However, for most, the episode of flattened affect and sadness is brief. Symptoms of anniversary reactions to traumatic events can be understood as an exacerbation of the symptoms that define Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. These include re-experiencing symptoms, avoidance symptoms, and arousal symptoms. Re-experiencing: Perhaps the most common reaction on the anniversary of a trauma is a reactivation of the feelings, physiological responses, and thoughts that occurred at the time of the event. For example, on the anniversary of a rape, a woman might feel frightened, nervous, and unsafe. Avoidance: Another t
