Post-traumatic stress disorder can occur when someone has witnessed or experienced a life-threatening situation. Additionally, PTSD can occur even if the individual suffering from the condition did not personally experience the life threatening situation. Meaning, someone that witnessed someone else go through a life threatening situation could also start feels that their life was in danger and start to develop symptoms of PTSD.
PTSD is commonly associated with car accidents, violent expereinces like war or being robed being rape, or being physically, emotionally, or psychologically, abused. Although these are the common reasons someone could experience PTSD, any situation where you end up fearing for your life could trigger the onset of PTSD.
Symptoms for PTSD include:
- Flashbacks of the experience (reliving the experience mentally / physically)
- Sudden onset of anxiety while experiencing flashbacks
- Panic attacks
- Avoidance of event (talking about it or visiting location it occurred)
- Issues sleeping (nightmares – insomnia)